Prairie South has 43 classes with over 28 pupils this year, report shows

There are 43 classes with more than 28 students in Prairie South School Division (PSSD) this semester, while there are 48 classes with fewer than 10 students, a new report says.

Board trustees received a class size report during their Oct. 3 meeting, with data about the number of students in classrooms as of Sept. 15.

Large classes

Central Collegiate has 33 classes with more than 28 students this year, which is the most in the division, the data shows. 

The classes with the most students are Phys-ed 9 with 34 pupils, English Language Arts B10 with 34 and Wellness 10 with 32, followed by Wellness 10, Science 10, History 10 and Workplace 10 with 31 students each. 

The next highest schools are Cornerstone Christian School, Coronach and A.E. Peacock Collegiate, which each have two classrooms with over 28 pupils. 

In particular, Cornerstone has 34 students in Phys-ed 9/Wellness 10 and 31 pupils in Psychology 20; Coronach has 29 students in Financial Literacy 20 and 32 pupils in Science 9; and Peacock has 29 students in Phys-ed 90 and Psychology 30.

Assiniboia Composite High School, Avonlea, Craik and Rockglen each have one class with over 28 students.

Small classes

Central Butte and Lafleche Central have six classes with fewer than 10 students, while Mankota and Rouleau each have five, the report showed.

Bengough, Briercrest Christian Academy, Eyebrow and Kincaid Central have three classes with under 10 pupils; Chaplin, Cornerstone, Coronach, Glentworth and Rockglen have two such classes; and Avonlea, Gravelbourg, Mortlach and Mossbank each have one class.

Board comments

The board discussed the report in-depth during a closed committee meeting and focused on Central Collegiate, board chairwoman Giselle Wilson told the Express. Trustees heard that the division has spoken with teachers to ensure they are good with the number of students they have. 

“We had a larger enrolment at Central than we had predicted, so we’ve had to add some teachers in that school, which is good,” she said. “We have a little bit of room if we get to a place where classes grow beyond where they are right now. And we’ll have to look at adding on.

“… we have some big class sizes but nothing that teachers are feeling uncomfortable with.”

While Central is either close to — or already at — capacity, space isn’t an issue so far, Wilson added. 

With the overall enrolment figures, Wilson said those numbers are “par for the course” in a school division with big schools and small schools. 

“When you have a little school, you’re going to have little classes … . I haven’t found a solution to that problem yet,” she said. “This board is not really interested in closing schools … and we try our very best to meet the needs, as the community and the parents and the students see fit.”

The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 7. 

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