Smaller family size and moves away from the Creighton area account for a gradual decrease in numbers for Creighton Community School over the past three years.
Director of Education Bob Smith reported at Creighton School Division’s annual meeting last week that numbers have dropped 16 students since the 2011-12 school year, not including Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) students. Looking at the decline over the three-year period allowed for a better assessment of which direction the school division’s attendance numbers were headed.
During Creighton’s 2013-14 school year, 443 students were enrolled from Kindergarten to Grade 12, down from 459 in the 2011-12 school year. PreK enrollment dropped from 37 in 2011-12 to 28 in 2013-14.
“Our numbers are going down because of smaller family sizes and families leaving,” said Smith.
Last year, Grade 3 had the highest enrollment at 43 students. When the PreK class is excluded, the lowest enrollment numbers were in Grade 6 and Grade 11, with 25 students each.
Graduation rates
Graduation rates at Creighton Community School were at 91.3 per cent. Graduation rates measure students who entered Grade 10 in
2011-12 and complete their final year on time in 2013-14.
Looking at marks overall, Creighton students fared well.
Students surpassed the provincial average of Math: Foundations 20 with an average mark of 72.8, compared to the provincial average of 72.6.
The school posted an average of 72.2 in English Language Arts 20, compared to the provincial average mark of 73.
Creighton’s average mark in Math: Foundations and Pre-calculus 10 was its lowest grade at 54.9, compared to the provincial average of 70.7.
Overall, Smith says it’s “an accurate reflection of what the students are learning.”
Smith says the majority of teachers at Creighton School are experienced.
“There aren’t many new teachers here, so they have seen it all for a while. Their standards are high,” he said.
Saskatchewan students are required to have at least 24 credits to graduate, earning on average eight credits a year.
Number of credits
Creighton fell below the provincial average for students earning eight credits or more per year.
Creighton recorded 55.3 per cent of students earning eight or more credits compared to a provincial standard of 60.2 per cent.
Smith says one measure the school district may look at to increase the number of Creighton students who are earning eight or more credits would be to look at the amount of spare periods students have in their schedules.
Creighton School Briefs
Other highlights from Director of Education Bob Smith’s report included transportation, staff numbers and infrastructure projects.
Busing
Creighton School Division reported 196 students transported during the 2013-14 school year – including rides for students attending French immersion programs in Flin Flon and Denare Beach area students receiving rides to school.
Staffing
Creighton Community School has 30.4 classroom teachers as well as 15.5 educational staff members.
The school is operates under one principal, Stacy Lair, and one vice-principal, Jason Straile. The school division employs five administrative and financial staff members for the school, 4.5 plant and maintenance workers and two senior management team members for a total of 59.4 full-time staff.
The school division also contracts a speech and language pathologist for 50 days of the year and a contracted occupational therapist for 20 days of the year.
Upgrades
Creighton School Division’s infrastructure project this year saw an upgrade to the fire alarm system as well as the installment of security cameras.
The total cost of the project rang in at $78,000, leaving the school with a surplus of $32,413 from its $6.5M budget.
