Student numbers continue to climb at SRSS

The pressure is on for the Hanover School Division to handle a growing student population at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School. 

Before the new school year began, over 2,000 students were enrolled at the SRSS which has capacity for 2,200 students. 

Superintendent Shelley Amos says during the month of September, there was another jump in enrollment, mostly in grade 9. 

“We will have to take a look this year, seriously, at the numbers and see if there is anything we need to do in between when we would eventually get a new high school.” 

Amos expects the division will soon be ready to request funding for a new high school. 

She acknowledges that it is not a quick process to get approval for a new school, adding that planning and construction also take time. 

The SRSS is the largest high school in Manitoba and Amos says expansion is not the most desirable option. 

She notes this is a new experience for the division, having such a large school nearly at capacity. The SRSS is an academic school that also offers vocational courses. 

There are many questions to consider when deciding details for the next high school in Steinbach. Would it be designed to offer other courses? Where would it be located? Or would it make more sense to have a smaller high school be constructed in one of the surrounding communities that does not have a high school at this time? 

Amos says there are many conversations that are happening and more discussions that need to take place. 

With the constant increase in student population at the SRSS, and continuing increases in its feeder schools, the Hanover School Division is facing some pressure. It can be expected that the SRSS will reach capacity before the end of this school year. 

Amos says growing student numbers is a great challenge to have.

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