Regina Public moving 27 teachers to eSchool causes class size, cohort concerns

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But Boldt recognized that with the pandemic, parents and students have more concerns around increased class sizes and mixing cohorts, and said the division has taken those into account.

The division currently averages 21 students per class, far lower than its usual average of around 24.5 students. With the redistribution of some students, Boldt said the average class size will go up by only one student to 22.

“Really the increase in class size will be very minimal across that school,” he said. “That (class size) number is at least 2.5 less than any other year that I can remember.”

Because each student will be staying within their school and Regina has a low number of active cases, Boldt said public health officials did not have an issue with students mixing cohorts.

“We’re really only dealing with one school population and probably very few classrooms, so it’s not like we’re reshuffling the entire school,” he said, noting that students will be moved together with a group of students from their current classroom.

“If it’s a social thing that people worry about in changing classes, they most likely will know all … of the students they’ll be in a new class with.”

Parents whose children are impacted by the shuffle were sent letters on Thursday and Friday, with students starting in their new classroom on Monday.

Carla Beck, education critic for the Saskatchewan NDP, said she has been hearing concerns from parents who received that letter and now have to explain to their child that they will have to work through changes yet again this school year.