While overcrowded classrooms are a hot topic in the provincial election, the pandemic’s effects have naturally reduced the number of classes with over 28 students in Prairie South School Division, data shows.
During the 2019-20 school year, there were 63 classrooms with more than 28 students, including 14 at Central Collegiate and 20 at A.E. Peacock Collegiate. Meanwhile, there were 151 classes division-wide with 10 or fewer students.
Fast forward to this school year and there are 15 classrooms in PSSD with more than 28 students, including 10 at Central and one each at Cornerstone Christian School, Peacock and Prince Arthur School. Meanwhile, there are 74 classrooms throughout the division with 10 or fewer students.
Trustees with the PSSD board discussed the numbers during their recent report.
Board discussion
“I think those are encouraging results and in line with the direction of the board,” said Moose Jaw trustee Shawn Davidson.
There are several reasons why class sizes have shrunk, Derrick Huschi, superintendent of school operations, told the board. One is high school registration moved online, which gave the division office a better idea of how many students were taking classes and ensured enough staffing.
The second reason is the virtual school pulled in many students. Half of all high school students — about 400 youths — are taking one to two classes online; they are online in the morning and in a classroom in the afternoon, or vice versa.
A third reason is the new temporary block system, he continued. Many students had spares during the regular semester, but parents didn’t want their kids home for a full morning or afternoon in the block semester. So, the division manipulated teachers’ schedules to ensure they were used fully.
Huschi added that there was inconsistent reporting last year with smaller class sizes, which is why there were so many with fewer than 10 students.
There will be more changes in classroom sizes — especially as high schools move from block to block — as some rooms could have 25 to 26 students while others could have 12 to 13 youths, Huschi remarked. For example, it makes no sense to offer two calculus classes with reduced numbers with the same teacher.
“Right now, we are in a good position for blocks two to five,” he added.
The first block semester ends Oct. 28, while the second ends just before Christmas. The third block semester starts Jan. 4, 2021.
Student enrolment in Prairie South Virtual School, as of Sept. 23:
- École Palliser Heights: 10 students
- Empire School: 13 students
- King George: 17 students
- Lindale School: 11 students
- A.E. Peacock Collegiate: 17 students
- Prairie South Home School: three students
- Prince Arthur School: 12 students
- Riverview Collegiate: two students
- Sunningdale School: six students
- Westmount School: nine students
- William Grayson School: 14 students
Home-school students
There were 93 full-time equivalent (FTE) students registered for home-schooling in September 2019. By June 2020, the division expected that number to decrease to 92.25 FTE; however, by Sept. 18, that number had nearly doubled to 160.5 FTE.
“Although we assume that much of this increase is related to COVID-19, parents who are registering their children as home-based learners are not required to provide a reason for their choice,” a board report said.
Ridership numbers
Bus ridership varies daily, although the division office does not track reasons for non-ridership, a report explained. The division office believes recent ridership decreases on morning runs and increases on afternoon runs are happening since there are fewer after-school activities.
The division office was unable to provide specific changes to ridership numbers in Moose Jaw due to the pandemic, but based on anecdotal stories from rural areas, 36 families are driving their children to school.
The next PSSD board meeting is in early November.
