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June 17, 2015 To: Committee II - Planning and Facilities From: Scott Robinson, Superintendent of Schools Re: Maquinna Annex Enrolment

INTRODUCTION:

This report is provided for the information of trustees. No action on the part of the Board is required at this time.

BACKGROUND:

Maquinna Annex is a K-3 annex located at 2882 East 4th Avenue. It shares the same catchment as Chief Maquinna Elementary, located at 2684 East 2nd Avenue. Parents who live in the Maquinna catchment have had the option of sending their children to either location for Kindergarten through grade three, then all students attend the main school for grades four through seven.

Enrolment at both Maquinna Elementary (main) and Maquinna Annex has been declining steadily for a number of years. As the Annex has become increasingly smaller, a growing number of parents have chosen to send their children to the main school starting in Kindergarten, resulting in further decreases in enrolment at the Annex. This pattern has been in place for several years (see below).

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Historical Enrolment Maquinna Annex and Chief Maquinna (Main) Elementary

School Year Annex Enrolment

Annex Number of Divisions

Main School Enrolment

Main School Number of Divisions

TOTAL CATCHMENT ENROLMENT

2007-2008 109 6 251 10 360

2008-2009 97 5 252 10 349

2009-2010 91 5 260 10 351

2010-2011 81 4 254 10 335

2011-2012 78 4 257 10 335

2012-2013 58 3 247 10 305

2013-2014 41 3 211 9 252

2014-2015 29 2 198 9 227

Registration for 2015/16

Over the course of the current school year, staff have been monitoring enrolment at the Annex closely. Enrolment has continued to decline, with a further loss of ten students since the spring of 2014.

During the registration period for the upcoming (2015/16) school year earlier this spring, it became apparent that Annex enrolment was again decreasing, with early March initial total enrolment of 34 students in Kindergarten through grade three. A number of parents of students in the upper primary grades chose to transfer their children to the main school, which then further decreased the total enrolment to 22 by the end of April. After discussion with school and district administration about the educational and social opportunities available at the main school compared to the Annex, parents of all remaining students ultimately chose to have their children attend the main school next year. As of June 2nd, there were no students registered at Maquinna Annex for 2015/16. As a result, an educational program will not be offered at Maquinna Annex for the upcoming school year.

FUTURE PROJECTIONS:

Future Enrolment Projections for Maquinna (Total Catchment)

Maquinna Elementary (main) has an official capacity of 245 students. Enrolment projections for the entire catchment indicate that the main school will be able to accommodate all students in the catchment for the foreseeable future. As would be the case in any school that happened to experience enrolment pressure at some point, the District would initiate enrolment strategies such as limiting new cross boundary approvals.

MOVING FORWARD:

Staff

All staff currently employed at Maquinna Annex will be placed elsewhere in the school district as of the end of the 2014/15 school year and will not experience a reduction in work.

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StrongStart Early Learning Centre

The StrongStart Early Learning Centre currently located at Maquinna Annex will be moving to Maquinna Elementary. The school has adequate space in order to accommodate this program and all in-catchment enrolment. Ministry approval has been granted for this move.

Resources

Learning resources currently in use at the Annex will be moved to Maquinna Elementary for continued use by Maquinna catchment students and the staff at Maquinna. Any year end budget balances would also be transferred to the Main school.

Communication

A communication plan was developed by school and district administration, including notices in the newsletters of both schools and website explaining that all families have chosen to attend the main school. Parents will be redirected to Maquinna Main through the Annex website. Welcome and orientation visits to the main school have been arranged for any Annex families wishing to participate. A letter has been sent to parents of StrongStart participants informing them of the program move.

Future of Maquinna Annex Building

At this time, no decisions have been made by the Board regarding how Maquinna Annex might be used in the future. The District has not closed the school under the official definition of closure contained within the School Act. As the District develops its Long Range Strategic Facilities Plan in the coming months, staff will be considering what options may be available for the building and will propose a strategy for the Boards consideration for potential utilization of the space. Facilities staff will take the usual steps to secure the building after the end of the school year.

This report is for information only.