Enrolment surge pressures Louis Riel division

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This article was published 13/02/2023 (974 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

UNANTICIPATED surges in enrolment are among the latest challenges facing public school teams facilitating learning and welcoming an influx of newcomers amidst an ongoing pandemic.

The Louis Riel School Division has recorded a net increase of more than 500 students — which senior administrators attribute to the addition of displaced Ukrainian learners and a notable increase in migration to the suburbs — since the 2022-23 academic year began.

“That’s the size of an entire school, and a school that size in our division has 30 teachers,” said Marcela Cabezas, president of the Louis Riel Teachers’ Association.

The demands staff members are experiencing in schools suggest there are not enough professionals to meet the needs of students and ensure workloads will be sustainable throughout the remainder of the academic year, Cabezas said.

Last week, superintendent Christian Michalik asked the local board to approve what he called an “unprecedented” request.

Trustees then voted in favour of using surplus funds to hire more employees mid-way through the year to address the growth of LRSD’s student population — a move welcomed by local teachers and their union leaders.

Upwards of $515,000 in rainy-day dollars have been earmarked to employ 6.5 full-time equivalent teachers, 4.50 full-time equivalent educational assistants, one full-time equivalent clinician, and put aside $66,000 for contingency.

The division’s annual enrolment has been on a steady rise — aside from 2020-21, when many families opted to homeschool or make other temporary changes because of the arrival of COVID-19 — since 2015-16.

The population has grown, on average, 1.2 per cent annually over the last eight years. So far in 2022-23, the division has recorded a 3.2 per cent hike. Among the newest additions are 522 newcomer students who entered Canada on or after July 1.

“We’re projected to be facing a deficit, an operational deficit at the end of this school year and so, it’s exceptional,” Michalik said, noting the decision to hire more staff comes in response to ongoing discussion with school teams and concerns about class sizes creeping up.

During the Feb. 7 board meeting, the superintendent cited a significant increase in concerning student behaviour incidents resulting in clinical assessment as one of the reasons leaders felt it necessary to boost ranks to support students.

LRSD has recorded a 263 per cent increase in these events — which may include, but are not limited to verbal or written threats to hurt others, disturbing social media posts, and the destruction of school property — compared to the total figure recorded for all of 2019-20.

Cabezas noted there has not been a consequential increase in the number of clinicians, including psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and speech pathologists, so staff members are being stretched “even further,” given the existing increased needs of all students after years of COVID-19 disruptions.

Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association, said Louis Riel and Pembina Trails continue to rank among the fastest-growing divisions, while River East Transcona and Hanover have recorded notable expansions after welcoming hundreds of Ukrainians.

RETSD has already surpassed its projected enrolment increase for the current school year by 800.

“Our newcomer reception facilitators have supported nearly 800 newcomer students just this year! This is far beyond what we anticipated in a normal school year, and we have added additional staff and continue to adjust our process to streamline support for our newcomer families,” communications co-ordinator Amanda Gaudes wrote in an email.

Assistant superintendent Troy Scott said Pembina Trails’ board has and continues to support the availability of contingency staffing so the division can be responsive to fluctuations throughout the school year.

“Pembina Trails projected our opening-day student enrollment to be 15,398. As of… Feb. 10, our current student enrollment stands at 16,046, an increase of 4.2 per cent,” Scott said in a statement, in which he noted a continued influx of refugees and newcomers, as well as Manitoba families, moving to the division, especially along the Pembina Highway Strip, Waverley West and areas such as the Refinery District.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie