There are 52 classes with more than 28 students in Prairie South School Division (PSSD) this year, while there are 95 classes with fewer than 10 pupils, a new report says.
Board trustees received a class size report during their March 7 meeting, with data about the number of students in classrooms as of Feb 10.
Trustees received a similar report last October, which showed there were 63 classes with more than 28 students in PSSD and 75 classes with fewer than 10 pupils. So, larger classroom sizes have shrunk and smaller classroom sizes have grown over the past five months.
During the March meeting, trustee Crystal Froese pointed out that 52 classes with over 28 pupils was a significant number.
“When we talk about operational funding, that’s a pretty good indicator of why we continue to press the provincial government for additional funds,” she said. “It’s as a result of the struggle that we can see in our classrooms with so many students.”
Large classes
Central Collegiate has 11 classes with more than 28 students across all four high school grades, which is the most in the division (PSSD). The next-highest school is Prince Arthur School, which has 10 rooms with over 28 pupils throughout grades 4 to 8.
Peacock Collegiate has six classes across grades 9 to 12 with more than 28 pupils, while Briercrest Christian Academy has three such classes in Grade 11, Lindale School has two such classes in grades 6 and 7 and Ecole Palliser Heights School has one such class in Grade 8.
Other schools on the list include Assiniboia Composite High School with one class, Assiniboia Elementary School with four classes, Avonlea School with one class, Bengough School with four classes, Coronach School with eight classes and Rockglen School with one class.
Small classes
Briercrest Christian Academy has 18 classes with fewer than 10 students, while Mankota School has 11 such classrooms and Rouleau School has 10 such classes, the report showed.
Chaplin School has seven such classrooms, Bengough has six rooms with fewer than 10 pupils, Mortlach School has such six classes and Avonlea School has five classrooms with under 10 students.
Central Butte, Coronach, Craik, Eyebrow and Glentworth have five classrooms with under 10 pupils; Mossbank has three such rooms; Cornerstone Christian School, Kincaid Central, Lafleche Central and the Virtual School have two classes with fewer than 10 students; and Assiniboia Elementary has one such classroom.
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, April 4.
