Though School District 20 still has fewer kindergarten students enrolling than Grade 12 students leaving, the birthing rate is on the rise and enrolment is set to follow suit, according to the superintendent of schools.
Based on an increased number of births in the area in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the district expects to have over 300 kindergarten students in 2015 for the first time in Greg Luterbach's nine years with the district.
“We're pretty much exactly where we should be based on Interior Health Authority's birth data projections the school district does,” said Luterbach, after the first week of kindergarten registration closed last week.
SD20 is currently sitting at 218 enrolled newcomers but Luterbach is confident the number will bump up to match the predicted 270-280 students expected for the 2014/2105 school year.
The district looks at the number of births in the area and then decides how that will impact enrolment five years later. Further down the line, early enrolment figures are analyzed to project where the district will actually sit at the end of September.
“We are currently doing some analysis of the data around students who live in the region but are home schooled, schooled through distributed learning or choose to attend the Francophone or independent schools,” Luterbach admitted.
This subject is being explored since the end of September’s enrolment numbers dropped by about 100 students than projected last spring.
Families who have children turning five years old between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2014 are encouraged to register their children in their catchment area school right away to ensure placement.
For additional information, contact the specific principal in the catchment area or call the school district office at 368-6434 (extension 226) for further assistance.