Alayne McGregor
English public schools serving Centretown students have seen increased numbers of students and have met their enrolment projections this year, according to local trustee Justine Bell.
While the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is looking at an overall gap of 1600 students fewer than projected, Bell said this did not affect students in her Zone 10.
“We continue to get larger numbers than we expected [in Zone 10]. We’re not seeing people moving out and we’re actually gaining students.”
At Centennial Public School, enrolment increased from 200 to 300 students; at Cambridge, enrolment is over 100, from a low a few years ago of only 44 (its capacity is 323). Devonshire and Elgin Street Public Schools have had their enrolment capped as they cannot accept further transfer students, and the Grades 7-8 program at Glashan is completely full.
She expected, in fact, that more school spaces would be needed as further homes are built in LeBreton Flats and Dalhousie.
The OCDSB needs to do a long-overdue accommodation review, she said – the formal, provincially-mandated study of schools in a general area which is required for the board to add programs like French immersion and review local school space needs. She hoped this would happen in the next two years.