An unusually high number of retirements last spring plus an increased enrollment meant Evanston Township High School opened Sept. 4 with 41 new teachers, a school official said Monday.

“The apple was always there,” Personnel Director Janice Jones said of the state’s early retirement plan. But they enhanced it last spring, she said, and teachers as well as other support staff took it.

Fourteen teachers and 13 other staff members retired last year. Jones said the 27 resignations and five non-renewals of contracts were on pace with other years. To replace the 59 in total who left, 70 new school employees were hired. In addition to the new teachers, 10 interns and 19 support staff members were hired.

Although it was not easy to replace the teachers in the midst of a nationwide teacher shortage, Jones says she was able to hire as much staff as she needed. Judith Ruhana, the new English department chairwoman, came to ETHS from Nichols Middle School, school officials said.

A final count of the number of students registered for this school year will not be available until October, but the projection sets it at 3,104 students — the largest enrollment in a decade, according to officials at the school’s public relations office.

Six new teaching positions were created in response to the increased enrollment.

The World Language department has added a Swahili program they had long been considering, said department head Kathleen Pino. New hire David Bamlango will teach two classes of Swahili.

Also, the sign language program was expanded to include a second teacher and nine sections. The language department’s 31 teachers now includes six newcomers covering eight languages.

New classes in graphics and computer design can now be made available as the three-year, $12.5 million renovation project initiated this summer continues. The school’s printing classroom was renovated to create space for a new media classroom. The other completed addition is the fitness center and weight room.

One of the cafeterias and the main office have been made over, and the location of the student center has changed in preparation for construction of new classrooms.

In addition to new teachers and classes, students are faced with stricter rules this school year.

Officials said the use of school computers will be more regulated. The dress code was tightened, requiring that midriffs and backs be covered and banning “short and tight” clothing.