Division projects increase in enrolment due at schools offering French Immersion or Michif language instruction
The Prince Albert Catholic School Division will be applying for relocatable classrooms this year due to increasing enrolment in dual track schools.
Dual track schools have both regular classes and French Immersion or Michif language instruction. The list of schools includes Ecole St. Mary High School, St. Michael School, and St. Anne School.
The school division has applied for relocatable classrooms in the past, but have not met the criteria. However, the school division board still wants to keep trying.
“I think that we need to be looking forward in terms of our future needs, and we know there will be a need,” education director Lorel Trumier said. “It’s important for us to be diligent about requesting the portables.”
Administration determined that it would be best to proceed with an application under the 2021-2022 Ministry of Education Relocatable Classroom Program because of projected enrolment in these schools.
Trumier said having a dual track high school with growing numbers of French Immersion students means reduced space, especially if those numbers remain high. As of Sept. 30, the division had 897 French Immersion students registered.
“We need to run two sets of programs under the same roof, and that is why we are always looking at trying to ensure that we have what we need for our students,” Trumier explained.
Chief Financial Officer Greg McEwen’s told the board during the Oct. 12 meeting there is a projected increase in student numbers at dual track schools.
The application asked applicants to provide the number of new relocatable classrooms requested, consider the possibility of moving existing relocatable classrooms and justify the requests with projected enrolments and intensive support programs offered in the division. The board approved a request for administration to begin preparation of an application.
The division has previously received approval for relocatable classrooms for St. Anne School.
The Ministry is accepting applications until Nov. 3.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
