(Photo: Acadia Broadcasting)
Moncton High School has too many students and not enough seats.
A letter sent to parents last week by acting superintendent Pamela Wilson offers some students an opportunity to attend Bernice McNaughton Highschool due to “space issues.”
The letter is directed towards students from Edith Cavell planning to start Grade 9 at Moncton High School in September.
“In terms of proximity to Bernice McNaughton, it’s easy for our transportation team to relook at the routes to drive students from those neighbourhoods,” says Anglophone East School District, Director of Communications of Stephanie Patterson.
Moncton High School has about 1,300 students registered for the upcoming school year, despite the maximum capacity being 1,250, according to Patterson.
However, even maximum capacity requires teachers to use learning commons for some classes as opposed to a conventional classroom.
If the school district fails to attract graduates of Edith Cavell to BMHS, Patterson says they will turn to other students attending Moncton High.
“We will look at any students that might be registered as attending from out of their geographic boundary, and they will be asked to go back to their home school.”
The concept of altering the school boundaries would not be effective in the short term due to the lengthy process.
According to Patterson, changing the boundaries would fall under policy 409 and requires a recommendation from the District Education Council before the provincial government makes a final decision.
In the meantime, Moncton High School could be forced to ask for more portables, which would add to the existing four that sit on the property.
