Increased demand for French Immersion in St. Pierre has helped drive up enrolment numbers across the division.

The Red River Valley School Division is reporting 2,313 students for the current school year. For those keeping score, that is 74 ahead of last year's pace.

A bump in enrolment in St. Pierre has contributed to this year's higher total. According to the division, Ecole Heritage Immersion in St. Pierre has an additional 22 students this year.

The biggest jump was logged at Morris School with 43 new students in what the division says is due to students returning from homeschooling and new students moving into the area.

Meanwhile, the division is reporting a large graduating class this past spring combined with a smaller incoming grade 9 class this fall pushed enrolment down by 17 students at Sanford Collegiate. Student numbers are also down by 10 in Lowe Farm where the division says families have chosen to homeschool due to the pandemic.

The remaining schools in Red River Valley School Division registered small changes, both up and down.

"With returning to every day in-school instruction for all students K to 12, we have been very pleased with the attendance rates in each school. We hope this can continue," adds Board Chair Charlene Geiler.