Medicine Hat Public School Division reporting a slight decrease in enrolment this year compared to last year. - CHAT News file photo

By Charles Lefebvre

Education

Slight drop in enrolment in Medicine Hat Public School Division

Oct 24, 2019 | 12:24 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB —The Medicine Hat Public School Division is showing a decline in enrolment for the 2019-2020 school year.

According to documents presented to the division during a recent school board meeting, the division is reporting 7,079 students enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 12 as of September 30, a decrease of 33 students from last year.

School divisions submit their enrolments numbers after September 30 which determines the amount of per-student funding received.

According to the data provided, Connaught School saw the biggest drop in enrolment compared to last year. In September 2018, the school had 488 students enrolled. This year, they’re reporting 368 students, a decrease of 120 students.

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The division says the change is due to the school switching solely to French immersion. Those in the English track are now attending other schools.

Superintendent Mark Davidson says the numbers were on par with what they expected, and a decline was mostly felt in early learning programs and outreach education.

“When we build a projection, we build one that we hope is conservative enough that if a lot of students don’t show up, we’re still okay in terms of our staffing and planning for schools,È he said. “But when we come that close to the overall number that we projected, we’re happy with how we overall did.”

The Dr. Roy Wilson Learning Centre showed the biggest increase among elementary schools, with 830 students enrolled as of September 30. This is an increase of 34 students last year.

Among junior high and high schools, Medicine Hat High School saw an increase of 109 students, bringing the total enrolment to 1,194. Crescent Heights High School had 1,286 students, a decrease of 37 students.

Alexandra Middle School reported a decrease in 13 students from last year, with 473 students enrolled.

Davidson says the division is currently predicting enrolment to slightly grow again in the next several years, before declining again after, though he knows things can change each year.

The full document can be viewed here.