Approximately 4,100 students are bidding goodbye to summer and hello to the 2018-19 school year as they head back to school next week (Sept. 4).
Breaking that number down (courtesy superintendent Rollie Koop), School District 69 (Qualicum) is expecting to see approximately:
• 65 English language learners
• 450 students with Indigenous ancestry
• 385 French Immersion students
• 300 full-time equivalent Distributed Learning (supporting home-learning families) and Head Start/Dual Credit (careers program) students
• and approximately 175 international students from nearly 20 countries.
In terms of teachers and other staff who will be welcoming students back to school next week, there are about 325 teachers, 252 support staff, 24 principals/vice principals, five senior management staff and nine exempt staff.
The school year has a budget of $55,155,040, with about $18 million going toward teacher salaries.
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Koop noted another important number: 30 km/h, which is once again the speed limit in school zones.