The Prince Albert Catholic School Division received the initial report on enrolment for the 2020-2021 school year at their regular meeting on Monday, October 5. The numbers for the report were lower than expected.
The first report is usually connected to the funding each division will receive. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic Minster of Education Gord Wyant announced on September 8 that the redistribution of grants has been delayed until January 29.
“We know that lots of things can change throughout the year especially this year we did not realize as many students as we had projected. But we did see an increase of students going into online learning and this is a new endeavor for us so we are excited about pioneering that in our school division,” Trumier said.
The total English enrolment in the division is 1,969 and the total French enrolment is 923 for a total enrolment of 2,892 in 2020. This drops from 2019 when the total was 3,072 with 2,137 in English and 935 in French.
Ecole St. Mary has a total population of 1,021 students with 748 in English and 273 in French.
In Kindergarten to Grade 8 schools, Ecole St. Anne has the largest enrolment with 527 students including 25 in English and 302 in French, St. Anne also has a Pre-Kindergarten program. The second largest enrolment is at Ecole Holy Cross with 315 students. St. Francis School has an enrolment of 300 students, including Pre-Kindergarten. St. John Community School has a total enrolment of 249 including Pre-Kindergarten. Meanwhile St. Michael Community School has an enrolment of 173 including Pre-Kindergarten. St. Catherine Catholic School’s enrolment for 2020 is 120 students including Pre-Kindergarten.
The online option in the Catholic has 187 students registered for 2020 with 33 in French and 154 in English between Kindergarten and Grade 8.
Trumier explained that because of the provincial election she hopes that whoever forms government after the provincial election on Oct. 26 would verify how the process will work.
“We are just at a pause situation for many aspects but we are confident that the government that gets elected will support our families and our children in these times,” Trumier said.
