Students moving from Toronto area spells big projected enrolment for ADSB in September

The Algoma District School Board (ADSB) foresees welcoming a greater number of students to its schools - many of them newcomers to Sault Ste. Marie - in September.

“We have a higher Grade 9 class than we’ve had in 15 years (over 900 students),” said Joe Maurice, ADSB superintendent of education, speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s board meeting.

Where are all the new arrivals coming from? 

“Some of them are coming from southern Ontario, the Toronto area. Some of them are from families of Saultites returning home for jobs. We have people coming in from Alberta, British Columbia, across the country,” Maurice said.

For months, local realtors have spoken of a number of Saultites returning home, selling their homes in the hustle and bustle of the GTA and coming back to live in their hometown and work remotely while enjoying what the Sault and area has to offer.    

Some of the students anticipated to arrive for September are from abroad, Maurice said.

“We have international students coming in,” Maurice said, mentioning Afghanistan and the Philippines as examples of countries from where they are coming from, the ADSB having an eye on possibly welcoming students fleeing with their families from war torn Ukraine. 

Maurice told the board that the total projected secondary level enrolment for regular secondary programs in Sept. 2022 is 3,481 students with a staffing complement of 278 full time equivalent teachers.

Compared to last year’s projections for Sept. 2021, that’s a projected increase in enrolment of 285 students and an increase in staffing of 14 teachers.

Frank Palumbo, ADSB superintendent, told the board that the total projected enrolment at the elementary level of Grades JK to 8 for Sept. 2022 is currently at 6,624 students in 290 classes with a staffing complement of 290 full time equivalent teachers.

Compared to last year’s projections for Sept. 2021, that’s a projected increase in enrolment of 232 students, an increase of seven classes and an increase of seven full time equivalent teachers.

“This is good news,” said ADSB chair Jennifer Sarlo of the projected increase in students and staff.