JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — With only days to go until the new school year starts, the Johnston Community School District says it’s still scrambling to hire enough elementary school teachers. School officials tell Des Moines television station KCCI that the district will welcome its biggest classes yet as it works to overhaul several of its school buildings.

District spokeswoman Laura Sprague says district officials were taken by surprise by the large number of new families enrolling their children for the new school year. Johnston school officials plan to go before the school board Monday to seek approval to add additional teachers to the kindergarten class.

If approved, the Johnston Community School district will search for teachers immediately. School district officials say all K- 5 classroom placements would be shared with parents by Aug. 18.