School District 58 is projecting a slight decline in school enrollment this year.

“Our projection is about 2400,” says district superintendent of schools Bob Peacock.

The estimate is down by 40 students from last year’s enrollment.

Peacock adds that with a decline in enrollment, any cuts in arts and music programs would be the result of fewer students being interested in those areas.

“(It) has resulted in a change in how the band program will be provided at MSS,” says Peacock.

As far as classroom size and composition is concerned, Peacock says the district will continue to work within the parameters as set out in Bill 33.

“Bill 33 dictates class size and composition guidelines and the process the district must follow if either of those two areas are outside of those guidelines.”

Class size and composition have been contested by the B.C. Teachers Federation and local teachers’ unions in recent years.
Earlier this summer, the district announced it would close the 18-year-old Directed Studies Centre in Merritt due to low enrollment.

The district said some of those students will be integrated back into Merritt Secondary School either in the new Lab 3 setting, which is a room set aside for kids at MSS, and some will be integrated back into the regular program. Others will move over to the CLC.

The CLC will stay at its downtown location.