While the start of next school year is seven months off, Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools has already come up with some enrolment estimates, and expects 236 more students will be roaming the halls .
As required by the B.C. Ministry of Education, the school district submitted projected enrolment numbers earlier this month.
In a strategic directions committee report on Feb. 12, staff stated that elementary student numbers remain "relatively flat" for the coming school year, but a notable number of Grade 7 students will be moving up to high schools, and coupled with a small number of graduating students, it will mean in increase in enrolment for Grades 8-12.
Mark Walsh, school district secretary-treasurer, told the committee the number will inform funding from the ministry, but is far from final, with much that could change in the coming months.
"If we are going up by [236] kids – a vast majority at secondary, much of it is just going to come in and drive staffing – we're still in a fortuitous position with respect to when we look to that budget…" he said. "Obviously we have challenges that we don't know if we're going to get extra funding … but additional kids is, typically … good news from a budget perspective."
The increased enrolment could bring about some problems, the secretary-treasurer stated.
"Our challenge next year with this is going to be capacity-driven [at] our secondaries," Walsh said. "Wellington, of course, is getting its expansion, but at earliest it would be second semester [that] it would be available for our students."
Last fall, the school district recorded 15,284 full-time students as part of its initial student count.
