Enrolments this September at Clearwater Secondary School and Raft River Elementary School have been above predictions, according to the principals at the two Clearwater schools.
"We projected our enrolment at 174 and will likely be closer to 200," reported CSS principal Darren Coates. "We have had a number of students move to the community and a number of students who previously home schooled join us."
The new students are in a mix of grades, he said, emphasizing that the numbers are still in flux.
The count is up about 20 from where the student numbers were last year.
"We are up eight students from our projections of 278. Reasons are various,” was the report from Shaun McKenna at Raft River.
McKenna added that during the last school year the numbers at Raft started at 258 and then grew to 286.
“This year we are starting at 286. That's very exciting if the growth continues,” he said.
The unexpected increase is not unique to Clearwater. Across School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) there are 230 more students than expected.
In a report to trustees during a board of education meeting held Sept. 12, district superintendent Alison Sidow said the growth is spread over all grades.
The district had predicted 950 full- time kindergarten students; on Sept. 9, there were 1,065. On the same day, there were 7,378 elementary students, 88 more than expected, and 5,329 secondary students, an increase of 27.
Sidow told trustees the unexpected increase means staffing adjustments are required.
The board of education approved adding seven teachers to meet the increased number of elementary students.
One teacher is needed for each of the following schools: Parkcrest, Haldane, Beattie, Arthur Stevenson, Logan Lake, Savona and Marion Schilling elementary schools.
– With notes from Kamloops This Week