SD 57 Class Sizes Good News Story Says Superintendent

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 08:34 PM

Prince George, B.C. – With all the revisions in the schools in School District 57 because of closures of other schools, only eight classes are over the 30 student limit.

Superintendent Brian Pepper says in all cases, (which are in the 8-12 grouping) the class sizes are deemed appropriate for learning, “This is the best report I have brought forward for some time.”

Pepper says the average class size in School District 57 is well below the Provincial Averages:

Kindergarten average class size is 15.04 , well below the provincial average of 19

Grades 1-3 School District 57 average class size is 18.4 provincial aggregate is 21

Grades 4-7 School District 57 average size is 24.36 provincial mark is 28

Four of the oversized classes are band classes, either concert or jazz and the larger classes are appropriate for that subject. The other classes are leadership (40), drama (31), peer tutoring and foundations of math class.

Trustee Roxanne Ricard says she is surprised there are only 8 classes that are over the provincial limits given all the changes that have been made. However, the matter of class composition is one that she and other Trustees are concerned about.

Trustee Sharell Warrington says while the Superintendent must report class size, there is no requirement to report class composition and she says “As you max your classes to reduce the costs, we need to address the composition issue.” She says students who need extra help will lose ground “I don’t know what the answer is, we are responsible for the composition piece and we can’t do anything about it without more dollars, or heaven forbid, cut from other areas.”

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Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 08:34 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: He spoke on October 13 2010 12:03 AM

Hmmmmm, sounds like more school closures to meet the provincial average.

Posted by: Harbinger on October 13 2010 11:11 AM

A thousand years ago (early sixties)all my high school classes were 40 kids. Five rows of eight. No problem. No big deal. Not an issue. But that was when people could afford to have kids and no Teachers Federation either.

Posted by: He spoke on October 13 2010 12:13 PM

My graduation class in 1980, PGSS, 600 plus. School population 1300 plus. Lockers were double assigned.

I think some one needs to start making more kids.

Posted by: Municca on October 13 2010 4:21 PM

Here is an idea from a normal everyday person with vision. More people need to work from home. Less gas required, less power required and less cost. More kids could be taught over the internet. No schools required, less teachers required and less cost. Get with the times already and utilise the internet for something usefull! We need young people with vision to take over from the old who want to keep everything the same OLD way while complaining about cost. Our governments are filled with old fuddy duddys with not future vision. Most want to keep things like it is or even change it back to how it WAS. Move forward with change that will take the burden off of the tax payer group.