Algoma District School Board administrators are expecting higher enrolment in their schools for Sept. 2023.
At the elementary level, total student enrolment - Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 - is projected to include 6,743 students in Sept. 2023.
Those student numbers will generate 296 classes as well as a staffing complement of 296 full time equivalent teachers.
Compared to projected numbers for Sept. 2022, there is a projected increase in elementary enrolment of 119 students, an increase of six classes and an increase of six full time equivalent staff.
“We did anticipate that there would be an increase,” said Frank Palumbo, ADSB superintendent of human resources, speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s regular board meeting.
The majority of that increase in students will be in Sault Ste. Marie schools but there will be others across the Algoma District, Palumbo said.
The increase will also comprise domestic students and newcomers from other countries.
“We know those numbers historically will increase. When we do our reorganization come September we normally - over the last four or five years - have seen that number increase. We certainly are predicting that 119 will increase,” Palumbo said.
"Historically we’ve hovered around 200 to 250 in elementary - and probably a similar number in secondary - over the last few years. It was anticipated. We’re pleased and we’re looking forward to that number increasing over the next several months as families still enrol their students in our schools,” Palumbo said.
Things are also looking up at the high school level.
“The total projected enrolment for the regular secondary program for Sept. 2023 is 3,536 students with a staffing complement of 284 full time equivalent teachers,” said Joe Maurice, ADSB superintendent of education.
“Compared to Sept. 2022 this is a projected enrolment increase of 55 students with an increase in staffing of six full time equivalent teachers,” Maurice said.
That growth will come with a need for additional courses for students, continued investment in Indigenous studies and language courses, continued support for multilingual learners and ongoing special education needs, Maurice said.
“We continue to pick up multilingual newcomers coming in. That also continues.”
The increase in secondary level students comprises primarily Grade 9s at this point, Maurice said.
In March 2022, the ADSB reported that it would be welcoming over 900 Grade 9 students - its largest Grade 9 class in 15 years.
