The latest numbers from the Sea to Sky School District point to a surging demographic of younger students, leaving officials rushing to find facilities for the growing population.
“You can see there’s a wave coming,” said Asst. Supt. Paul Lorette.
School buildings will have to increase their capacity — a rising tide of students is a few years away, as enrolments are quite high for younger learners compared with older grades.
“The implications on facilities are dramatic,” said school board chair Rick Price. “Over that period of time, which is only 12 years, it’s hard to imagine how we’d keep up with facilities.”
As of this year, there’s an average of about 430 students registered in each grade from kindergarten to Grade 2, compared with an average of about 320 registered in each grade from 10 to 12.
Comparing the three lowest grades with the three highest, that’s an average increase of about 54 students per grade.
It’s something the school district is working to address. In its most recent five-year capital plan, the board asked the province for an additional $81.5 million in building renovations and upgrades.
If the Ministry of Education approves the plan, it would allow for an array of expansion projects in Squamish.
Howe Sound Secondary would be able to increase its student count to 1,225, up from 675 people, while also giving the building seismic upgrades.
Squamish Elementary’s capacity would rise to 610 students, up from 440.
Don Ross Middle School would increase capacity to 925, up from 600 students.
The province has yet to approve the plan. Its decision is expected to be announced sometime in spring.
“Our long-range facilities planning is part of the capital plan, which is brought forward as building projects we hope to get approved,” said facilities manager Ian Currie. “In the meantime, we’ll be re-purposing space within schools (if available) and putting portables on our sites.”
Some other key highlights of the numbers, which were presented at the most recent board meeting on Oct. 10, showed increases in several areas.
The number of local students increased by about three per cent from the previous year, bringing the total count to about 4,900. That’s an increase of about 125 local students.
There are 186 international students counted as of this September.
“However, over the course of the year, we have more students that will be coming in for a second semester,” said Lorette.
This could bump up the number to about 220 international students.
Over the years, the number of international students hasn’t grown much farther beyond that number because more homestay slots haven’t become available.
Increases in international students in Squamish, Pemberton and other parts of the school district have been offset by decreases in Whistler, said Supt. Lisa McCullough.
There were 356 students registered in online courses, however, many of them were part-time learners. In total, all the students’ hours added up to the equivalent of 52 full-time attendees.
As far as the schools with the highest enrolment, Squamish took the Top 3.
Don Ross Middle School has 595 students; Garibaldi Highlands Elementary has 527; Howe Sound Secondary has 495; and Whistler Secondary is at 468.
Over the last seven to eight years, French Immersion enrolment throughout the entire Sea to Sky has skyrocketed from 441 to more than 1,000.
