School District 57’s Board of Trustees has approved some slight changes to high school and elementary school catchment requirements for the 2024-25 school year.
Starting next year, catchment restrictions for the non-French side of Duchess Park will be removed “to allow for greater student registration.”
According to a report presented to the board today (Tuesday) by Trustee Sarah Holland, Duchess’ capacity is 900 students.
Right now, 510 are enrolled in the “regular” program while 371 are in French Immersion.
The school was restricted to in-catchment only in 2017 when enrollment projections saw the school swelling to 1,200 students.
Other changes put in place include:
- 2018 – Registration for Edgewood is restricted to in-catchment only
- 2018 – Registration for Spruceland Kindergarten capped at 40
- 2019 – Registration for Harwin and Ron Brent have been restricted to in-catchment only
- 2019 – DP Todd Expansion Project to 900 student capacity on Capital Plan
- 2020 – Grade 7 students at Spruceland Elementary attending DP Todd instead of Duchess Park Secondary
The report said these measures were successful in easing the pressure felt by Duchess Park but put more strain on DPTodd and saw a decline in regular program enrollment, which has resulted in fewer options for the students attending.
Next year the catchment requirements will be removed in an attempt to grow the regular program, and the school’s enrollment will be set at a 920-student maximum.
Peden Hill will become restricted to its catchment because of quick growth in the student population.
This year the school has 264 enrolled students, and its operating capacity is 205.
The full, updated list of catchment-only schools next year is:
a) Beaverly Elementary
b) College Heights Secondary
c) College Heights Elementary
d) Edgewood Elementary
e) Glenview Elementary
f) Hart Highlands Elementary
g) Harwin Elementary
h) Heritage Elementary
i) Malaspina Elementary
j) Peden Hill Elementary
k) Ron Brent Elementary
l) Southridge Elementary
m) Springwood Elementary;
n) Vanway Elementary
Kindergarten enrollment will also be restricted at the following schools:
a) College Heights Elementary – French Immersion program, no more than
20 students
b) Polaris Montessori Elementary – no more than 40 students
c) Ecole Lac des Bois – no more than 60 students
The school board passed the Duchess Park and Peden Hill recommendations unanimously.
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