Board expects elementary enrolment growth
Property on Glenforest Ave. in city’s west end may be used for a future school
After several years of falling enrolment at the high school level, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board expects to have hundreds more elementary students in the 2018-2019 school year.
Trustees met Monday, sitting as the budget committee, to review a proposed $414,564,620 balanced budget for the next school year.
The board expects an increase of about 839 elementary students for next school year as more grandchildren of baby boomers enter the school system.
High school enrolment is expected to stabilize as early as next year, with a projected decrease of about 94 students for the upcoming budget year.
A plunge in high school enrolment over the past few years led to decisions by the board trustees to close Peterborough Collegiate and later Lakefield District Secondary School, along with consolidating two public high schools in Cobourg into one.
“Our funding is driven by our student enrolment and over the last five years our elementary enrolment has increased by almost 1,500 students,” stated budget committee chairman Anthony Caruso in a release.
“The vast majority of our budget — more than 80 per cent — is earmarked for designated costs as part of collective agreements or funded programs. Our challenge is to continue to find creative ways to manage and allocate our discretionary dollars amongst the many worthwhile programs we would like to support,” he said.
The growth means more educational facilities may need to be built, said board chairwoman Diane Lloyd, the trustee for Selwyn, North Kawartha and Trent Lakes townships.
“We can certainly see down the road where we will have pressure in the north end because of the subdivisions going up in the area,” she said.
Lloyd said the projected development in the city’s west end north of Parkhill Rd. may lead to enrolment pressures on existing elementary schools.
“We already have a piece of land up on Glenforest (in the city’s west end), so at some point we will probably be looking at building on that site and perhaps acquiring another site to look after future growth,” she said.
Lloyd says the problem is there aren’t endless funds to continue building everywhere that the board would like to.
“We’re aware of the issues that are in all of our schools and we certainly are doing everything we can to alleviate any pressures that exist in the buildings, with our hope that down the road we’re able to create more space,” she said.
“We like to have new and modern learning environments for our students and when we get money, that’s exciting. It’s exciting for us, it’s exciting for the community and for the students.”
Board grant revenues are determined provincially based on high school and elementary school student enrolment.
Total board enrolment for 2018-2019 is expected to be 32,186 students.
The board covers an area including Peterborough city and county, Northumberland County and Clarington in Durham Region.
“We have an obligation as responsible and prudent planners to continually look long-term to ensure our students have the most vibrant learning conditions possible for their success,” Lloyd stated.
“This goal is a focus for all schools, but can be especially challenging in our secondary schools with lower enrolments.”
Last week, trustees heard an update on the ongoing accommodation review process, which will include phased-in upgrades at Norwood District Intermediate School and High School in 2018-19. Norwood District Public School and HavelockBelmont Public School will become kindergarten to Grade 6 schools with the Grade 7 and 8 students going to Norwood District Intermediate.
The amalgamation of Armour Heights and King George public schools will proceed, with the students from both eventually moving into a new building at the
King George site in East City.
Originally the board planned to demolish King George after that but the board is now keeping the heritage building open and will use classrooms there for additional space for Grades 7 and 8 classes when needed.