School District 27 enrolment numbers have been finalized.
As of Sept. 30 Superintendent Mark Thiessen says enrolment in the district stands at 4,833 students.
“We are down 137 students from last year,” Thiessen says. “This number is slightly below what we were projecting to lose, so that is good news in a way.
“However, as we remain in funding protection and will actually lose 1.5 per cent of our funding protection again this year, this does not mean any new funding for the district.”
In other district news, Thiessen says the board is also considering a return to the former secondary school names in Williams Lake. Reconsideration comes after the board received a request from a delegation appearing before the board at its regular meeting in September.
The board also received a letter asking for the return of the old names, Thiessen says.
“The board has agreed to review the naming of both campuses at its next meeting,” Thiessen says. “The board gave no indication if the name would actually change or if considered, what those names might be.”
In consultation with the public the secondary school names in Williams Lake were changed this year to reflect the amalgamation of the two former grades 8 to 12 secondary schools into one grades 7 to 12 school operated on two campuses.
The former names were Columneetza and Williams Lake secondary schools. The new combined school name is Lakecity Secondary School, with the former Columneetza school being designated the Western Campus and the former WLSS school being designated the Carson Campus (after their respective street names).
The Western Campus is primarily for grades 7 to 9 students and the Carson campus is primarily for grades 10 to 12 students.
Thiessen says the board has also approved a request from the Studio Theatre to sell alcohol at its plays and functions. He notes the building is no longer a public school as of this September but the Studio Theatre is still obligated to acquire the required permits to sell alcohol.