In t e

Memorandum
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0 ooae vancouver school board
June 17, 2015
To:

ITEM 3

Committee II - Planning and Facilities

From: Scott Robinson, Superintendent of Schools

Re:

Maquinna Annex Enrolment

INTRODUCTION:
This report is provided for the information of trustees. No action on the part of the Board is required at
this time.
BACKGROUND:
Maquinna Annex is a K-3 annex located at 2882 East 4th Avenue. It shares the same catchment as
Chief Maquinna Elementary, located at 2684 East 2nd Avenue. Parents who live in the Maquinna
catchment have had the option of sending their children to either location for Kindergarten through
grade three, then all students attend the main school for grades four through seven.
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Enrolment at both Maquinna Elementary (main) and Maquinna Annex has been declining steadily for a
number of years. As the Annex has become increasingly smaller, a growing number of parents have
chosen to send their children to the main school starting in Kindergarten, resulting in further decreases
in enrolment at the Annex. This pattern has been in place for several years (see below).

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Historical Enrolment Maquinna Annex and Chief Maquinna (Main) Elementary

School Year

Annex
Annex
Enrolment Number of
Divisions

Main School
Enrolment

Main School
Number of
Divisions

TOTAL
CATCHMENT
ENROLMENT

2007-2008

109

251

10

360

2008-2009

97

252

10

349

2009-2010

91

260

10

351

2010-2011

81

254

10

335

2011-2012

78

257

10

335

2012-2013

58

247

10

305

2013-2014

41

211

252

2014-2015

29

198

227

Registration for 2015/16

Over the course of the current school year, staff have been monitoring enrolment at the Annex closely.
Enrolment has continued to decline, with a further loss of ten students since the spring of 2014.
During the registration period for the upcoming (2015/16) school year earlier this spring, it became
apparent that Annex enrolment was again decreasing, with early March initial total enrolment of 34
students in Kindergarten through grade three. A number of parents of students in the upper primary
grades chose to transfer their children to the main school, which then further decreased the total
enrolment to 22 by the end of April. After discussion with school and district administration about the
educational and social opportunities available at the main school compared to the Annex, parents of
all remaining students ultimately chose to have their children attend the main school next year. As of
June 2nd, there were no students registered at Maquinna Annex for 2015/16. As a result, an
educational program will not be offered at Maquinna Annex for the upcoming school year.
FUTURE PROJECTIONS:
Future Enrolment Projections for Maquinna (Total Catchment)
Maquinna Elementary (main) has an official capacity of 245 students. Enrolment projections for the
entire catchment indicate that the main school will be able to accommodate all students in the
catchment for the foreseeable future. As would be the case in any school that happened to
experience enrolment pressure at some point, the District would initiate enrolment strategies such as
limiting new cross boundary approvals.
MOVING FORWARD:
Staff
All staff currently employed at Maquinna Annex will be placed elsewhere in the school district as of the
end of the 2014/15 school year and will not experience a reduction in work.

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StrongStart Early Learning Centre

The StrongStart Early Learning Centre currently located at Maquinna Annex will be moving to
Maquinna Elementary. The school has adequate space in order to accommodate this program and all
in-catchment enrolment. Ministry approval has been granted for this move.
Resources
Learning resources currently in use at the Annex will be moved to Maquinna Elementary for continued
use by Maquinna catchment students and the staff at Maquinna. Any year end budget balances
would also be transferred to the Main school.
Communication
A communication plan was developed by school and district administration, including notices in the
newsletters of both schools and website explaining that all families have chosen to attend the main
school. Parents will be redirected to Maquinna Main through the Annex website. Welcome and
orientation visits to the main school have been arranged for any Annex families wishing to participate.
A letter has been sent to parents of StrongStart participants informing them of the program move.
Future of Maquinna Annex Building
At this time, no decisions have been made by the Board regarding how Maquinna Annex might be
used in the future. The District has not closed the school under the official definition of closure
contained within the School Act. As the District develops its Long Range Strategic Facilities Plan in
the coming months, staff will be considering what options may be available for the building and will
propose a strategy for the Boards consideration for potential utilization of the space. Facilities staff
will take the usual steps to secure the building after the end of the school year.
This report is for information only.

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