Merritt Elementary second-grader Melissa Avina smiles Thursday in Karen White’s classroom. Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT

Student enrollment is up at Brandywine Community Schools based on an unofficial fall count reported by the district.

Superintendent John Jarpe said the district’s overall enrollment was 1,403 students — up 13 students from last year’s fall count of 1,390.

“We budgeted for less, so I am pleased to see the increase,” said Jarpe.Attendance figures taken Wednesday during the statewide fall count day account for 90 percent of a district’s per-pupil funding from the state. Ten percent of funding is based on last February’s count.

The largest enrollment gain came at Brandywine Elementary, which houses kindergarten through second grade students. Enrollment is up 49 students from a year ago (430 to 381).

Jarpe said the increase could be attributed to gaining students from Schools of Choice and from families that are in town temporarily working on the Enbridge Pipeline replacement project.

“There was also a small sixth-grade class that left that building and a bigger third grade class entered,” Jarpe said. “You always have to look at your entering and exiting numbers when you have a school.”

The largest decrease in students was at Brandywine Middle School — a drop of 31 students (192 to 223).

Brandywine also saw a decrease of 17 students at the high school level.

Jarpe said the district gained 24 new Schools of Choice students this year, while losing five.

Enrollment in alternative school jumped nine students from 40 last year to 49 this year.

Eighty-nine students moved into the district, while 83 moved out.