The official enrolment numbers show an increase in students attending Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS).
Associate superintedent Bill Driedger discussed the 2018/19 enrolment during the board of trustees meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
“We’re above our enrolment at the same time as last year by a little bit, which sort of surprised us because our projection was less and we’re significantly above our projection, as well,” Driedger said.
As of Oct. 3, NLPS has 6,012 students registered, a jump from the preliminary estimate of 5,964.
“One of the reasons this number is a little bit higher than the number superintendent Rick Cusson shared with you at the last board meeting, is that our initial numbers didn’t have pre-kindergarten program unit funded (PUF) students in there. A PUF student... is also classified as a kindergarten student, even if they’re pre-kindergarten if they’re PUF, but, we didn’t have those students in our numbers,” Driedger detailed.
While Alberta Education requires school boards submit enrolment numbers toward the end of September for them to receive funding, Driedger noted that they’re constantly changing.
“Even if we were to do an enrolment count right now, it would be different. Whether lower or higher, these numbers are very fluid. People are moving in and out of the area, people joining us after the fact, which we know a number of cases of that is happening, and people leaving us after the fact,” he said.
Registration in local outreach schools is on the rise this year, up 19 students. The Bonnyville Outreach School has 62 students attending this year, which is nine more than last year.
Ardmore school has 117 students enrolled, while Bonnyville Centralized High School came in with 358. Duclos’ numbers are sitting at 460. Glendon School has 231 students enrolled, H.E. Bourgoin School is at 231, while Iron River School has 81 this year.
Included in the report was students participating in home education, which stayed consistent with past years with nine.
While gathering the numbers was time-consuming, Driedger said the “hard work” begins when it comes to getting funding for each student in their schools.
“Now the hard work starts to make sure we get funding for each and every one of these students, which we know we won’t quite get there. We never do, but we get quite close,” expressed Driedger.
Registration at Cold Lake schools was on the rise this year, which prompted administration to look into the cause.
“I don’t fully know where (the students) came from, or where they went,” Driedger noted, adding they thought that the new nutrition program offered at North Star Elementary might be among the reasons.
While discussions about finding out why students are leaving the schools was suggested, trustee Debra Lozinski wanted to focus on those who remained.
“We could ask the ones who choose our system why they choose it, why worry about the ones that are leaving? We have people coming to us, and I think they have reasons,” she expressed.
