There are fewer classes with more than 30 students in the Qualicum School District this fall, as compared to last year.
A class size report snapshot from Oct. 1 showed just a handful of classes over that threshold — mostly band and music programs, noted Associate Superintendent of Schools Gillian Wilson.
"It is different than what you saw last year, and our administrative teams have worked hard to try and make sure we’re at under or less than 30 in terms of our class sizes," she said during the Board of Education's Oct. 22 meeting.
Last year's snapshot showed 20 classes with more than 30 students, while this year's had just six, including four band, choir and music programs.
“You said at the beginning it would look different than it does last year, and if I’m recalling from what we saw last year, we did see more classes," Trustee Julie Austin said. "It does look like there’s been a lot of work put into this and it’s starting to pay off.”
According to the School Act, a school board must ensure that the class size of any class for any of grades 4 to 12 in any school in its school district does not exceed 30 students unless, in the opinions of the superintendent of schools the principal of the school, the organization of the class is appropriate for student learning, or the class is in a prescribed category.
The school district's next board meeting is set for Nov. 26.
