More concerns over student enrolment growth in Anglophone East School District.
At last week’s District Education Council meeting, Superintendent Randy MacLEAN told members that numbers have risen again over the past month and they’re projected to increase even more, “As of October 3, our enrolment was 18,007 students. Our enrolment as of today(November 15) they are 18,112. So in a month, we’ve seen enrolment growth of over 100 students. Based on the conversations I’ve had with members who know the community. Over this year, it has been indicated to us by local educational institutions like NBCC say they’re seeing unprecedented international enrolment, and we could see hundreds of more students in our schools due to International enrolment of students. Parents who are coming to New Brunswick for post-secondary training will be living in the city of Moncton.”
Student numbers in the District had already increased by almost 1200 heading into the new school year in September 2022.
MacLEAN adds there is a sense of urgency now to start looking at school boundaries, so they are prepared for the next school year for 2023/2024, “What could it look like if we look at moving boundaries and where can we alleviate enrolment pressures where we have space?”
He says they are looking at boundary shifts, “We’re looking at a couple of models of what those boundary changes could look like. Schools such as Queen Elizabeth School which has the international welcome centre and other schools in Riverview which have other programs and other supports, or Beaverbrook School, for instance, we can look at converting office space into classrooms and we have to look at relocation of some programs and offices,” MacLEAN says.
He plans to present some of these proposals to the District Education Council in January and have them look at recommendations, with potential changes due to boundaries, in an effort to alleviate enrollment pressures.
The intent is to ensure there are no surprises to parents and they are informed long before changes are implemented.
DEC member Ian Hebblethwaite also made a motion during the meeting to make an urgent request to the province, “I move that Anglophone East submit an urgent request adding another major capital project for a middle/high school in Dieppe to the list submitted in May due to the unprecedented growth within the Greater Moncton area.”
All members were in favour of the request.
New schools are also needed in other communities within the Anglophone East School District boundaries, because of aging infrastructure.
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