Academic year 2012-13 began today at the Duneland School Corporation, with little in the way—so far—of reported problems.

Some late buses, but that’s not unusual. At Jackson Elementary School students and staff were using bottled water, brought in, as the well which normally supplies the facility was being flushed.

As Superintendent Dirk Baer told the Chesterton Tribune at deadline, “I haven’t gotten any calls yet.”

First-day enrollment was up over last academic year’s marginally: by 12 students. “Up a little here, down a little there” was the way Baer put it.

But Chesterton High School enrollment, he noted, was “as big as we’ve had in a while”: three classes over 500, the Senior class at 485.

Duneland’s third-grade class, on the other hand —for reasons not exactly clear —is up considerably: by 38 students or around 8 to 9 percent.

“We’ve had to hire two additional third-grade teachers in the last five days,” Baer said, one at Liberty Elementary, the other at Brummitt Elementary.

Duneland will submit its official enrollment figures—its “average daily membership” to the Indiana Department of Education on Sept. 14.