A lot of new faces will be graduating from Coupeville High School in a few months.

Nearly 20 percent of Coupeville’s Class of 2012 started attending the high school last fall. Of the more than 80 students comprising the school’s senior class, 16 of them started school last fall.

Sheldon Rosenkrance, principal at Coupeville High School, said he doesn’t know what caused the influx of students. He said the additional students came from in and out of state, but there isn’t a pattern that explains the extra students.

The large number of seniors was one of the reasons the small school district enjoyed an enrollment boost at the beginning of the year. Originally, planners budgeted the equivalent of 880 full-time student. When classes started in September, 960 full-time students showed up.

Enrollment numbers have dipped slightly in the months that have followed, but enrollment still remains above the budgeted amount. Currently the equivalent of 943 full-time students are enrolled.

An accurate enrollment prediction is important for a school district because state funding is based on enrollment. If the actual number is higher than predicted then the district could struggle filling new positions and students could see larger class sizes. If enrollment falls under predictions, then the school district could run into funding problems as it struggles to pay for contracted staff.

Patty Page, superintendent, highlighted several endeavors to meet the needs of the extra students at the high school. A long-term substitute teacher was hired to teach English and social studies classes. In addition, two teachers during the first semester agreed to give up their planning period, and that increased to four teachers the second semester.

Page said there’s no certainty how many of the unexpected seniors will stay through the school year and no additional full-time teacher hiring is anticipated.