AUBURN — Twenty-three new teacher hires began the school year in Auburn, East Auburn Community School Principal Michelle Gagne told School Committee members Wednesday night.

“We have 23 right now, including the ones that have just been hired officially and approved,” Gagne said. “But we also have a few teachers who have stepped into new roles in the district as well, so there’s actually more new people in various roles, but the teachers that are coming to us, new to Auburn I believe, are 23 at this time.”

Gagne was in charge of new teacher orientation this year.

Student enrollment numbers are up from October 2023, Superintendent Susan Dorris said.

“We are up 46 students right now in the district,” she said. “This number is likely higher because it doesn’t include the students that we were registering today and that are still in the registration process,” she added.

“If you look at the various schools, you’ll notice that (Auburn Middle School) is up 38 students and (Edward Little High School) is up 33 students,” Dorris said. “Some of the other schools are up and down just a little bit from last year. Park Avenue notably is up 22 students from the October 1st count last year. This number is likely higher. I know we were over there today and they were registering new students.”

At Edward Little High School, a June rainstorm damaged the gym floor and bleachers. Major repair is slated to begin Oct. 15.

“The roof that connects into the drainage system, the entire cuplink let loose from the drain on the roof into the gym,” Principal Scott Annear said. “It was like someone had turned on the bathtub and water was pouring down for the duration of the storm. The end result of that was some significant damage to the bleachers and to the floor of the gym.”

In the meantime, Park Avenue Elementary School will host the games and practices.