Some glitches on first day of school in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- St. Louis public school students returned to class for the first time under supervision of a state-appointed board, and the first day of class was not without problems.

Some parents on Monday complained that buses on some routes ran late or not at all. Seniors at Beaumont High learned that an unfilled teaching job could mean that French will be offered only at night.

Attendance figures weren't released, but enrollment is down about 2,000 from last year, to about 30,000, part of an ongoing trend as more students opt for charter schools, private schools, or to attend classes in suburban districts.

The St. Louis district has long been troubled by budgetary problems, discipline problems and poor classroom performance, prompting the state to appoint a three-person panel that took control in June.

While district officials did not release attendance figures, Deputy Superintendent John Martin said preliminary reports were that some buses were light on riders.

Meanwhile, the numbers were up at charter schools. At the Construction Careers charter school, 435 students reported for the first day of classes -- up from 319 last year. The school, in its seventh year, integrates academics with specialized learning in 13 trades that include plumbing, masonry, electrical engineering and carpentry.

Student Ashley Hogan saw her "Blueprint Reading and Estimating" class as an opportunity to examine a world she has long found fascinating. Unlike most people, she doesn't take electric appliances for granted.

"I want to know how they work," said the senior, who hopes the center's lessons will lead to a career in engineering or electrical engineering.

---

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com