Student numbers lower than projected

The North Okanagan Shuswap School District is seeing fewer full time students than expected this fall, which could have implications on its provincial funding.

Superintendent Peter Jory said most schools are meeting the projections, a few are above, and a few are substanially below what was projected, resulting in staffing changes being made.

School District 83 was projected to have 6,517 full-time students.

“Assuming everyone that says they will come back does so, we are down 80 to 100 FTE [full time equivalents],” Jory said at this week’s board of education meeting.

Secretary-treasurer Alanna Cameron said at this point, it is too early to know where the district’s funding will stand but, worse case, it could be as much as $2 million below projections.

Meantime, Jory told the board, he is proud of everyone’s efforts to start the new school year.

“I would like to thank everyone across the district for going above and beyond in order to make this work. It has been incredibly challenging and our staff and community has risen to that challenge for sure. Honestly, I can’t say enough about how proud I am of our district,” Jory said.

Jory also commented on how the start-up has gone.

“Aside from the masks and sign-ins and sanitizer, and the somewhat 80s seating plans, it looks like school, and when I was out there it seemed to me that kids were pretty darn happy about being back in session, and I think that is the majority sentiment,” added the superintendent.