The Bluewater District School Board is hiring more teachers.
Director of Education Mary Anne Alton says elementary school enrolment figures are higher than expected.
Alton says while the numbers have still declined, they are not down as far as projected in the spring.
Enrolment as of September 8th was 10,846 students.
That’s a decline of 305 students or 2.74 per cent over last year — but an increase of 179.5 students over the projected figure.
Alton says as a result the board will be hiring 14.5 full time equivalent teachers.
Alton says she doesn’t have figures just now on exactly where the numbers have gone up in the district and where these teachers will be going.
But she says no matter where they’re heading it will mean reorganizing some classes and shuffling some students around.
Alton says while that can be stressful for the children and parents affected, they are usually able to adapt quickly.
She points out that this is very positive news.
Alton says they are finally seeing signs that the downward trend in elementary enrolment figures are starting to bottom out.
However, she adds it will be 2016 before numbers are impacted at the secondary level, where enrolment continues to see massive drops of almost 5 per cent year over year.
Alton hopes the new 14.5 elementary teachers will be in place by the end of September.