Preliminary figures indicate enrolment has increased almost four times more than anticipated for Cochrane area schools of the Rocky View Schools (RVS).

While the final enrolment figures won't be calculated until Sept. 30, as of Sept. 11 enrolment increased by about 390 students. That's a seven per cent increase, higher than last year's five per cent.

It's not just in the lower grades, either.

"What the numbers are showing right now is the increase is at all grade levels," explains Cochrane school trustee Fiona Gilbert. "We were expecting the young ones, the kindergarten and grade 1s, because it is a young community, but this year's there's more at the higher levels as well."

Both of their high schools, for example, have each seen 50 more students enrol than anticipated. 

"There are more kids than we expected, which is great news for Rocky View Schools, but it does mean a bit of an adjustment period," she says.

"You might have been expecting 35 kids and you actually ended up with 50 kids in your class so it takes a little bit of time for adjustment. That's what schools are working through right now."

The division will be dissecting exactly why the large increase took place in a time of slowed growth. They had originally anticipated 100 more students. That's not the top priority at this point, though.

"Really, it's not the why right now. It's OK, we have more kids, let's get some teachers and let's get some resources into those schools," says Gilbert.

When the dust settles at the end of September, that number could increase or decrease. Students may have been registered that no longer reside here, or others may not have registered as of yet.

Some Cochrane schools are operating at over 100 per cent capacity and most are in the high 90s. Schools are finding ways to make it work.

"RancheView School is really squishy," she says.  "There are classes that don't have classes. They are using their learning commons as classroom space."

Fireside was the last RVS school opened in Cochrane and no new ones have been announced since the finals days of the Jim Prentice PC government. Modulars are viewed as a short-term solution, but even they have been in short supply.

Last October, RVS requested 39 modulars to accommodate their needs across division. They got seven. Ten alone were requested for Cochrane and only one was approved. That one has been assigned to the RancheView School and hasn't yet arrived. RVS had original requested two for RancheView.

"That's part of what they're feeling up there. We knew that this growth was coming, we needed this space but the modular isn't ready and the funding isn't available for the other one."

Gilbert says RVS desperately needs the green light for more schools from Alberta Education.

"I can't emphasize enough how important it is," she says. "We have had two schools in the last six years. It's not what we needed but it's great to have them."

Rocky View Schools' number one priority for Cochrane is doubling of the size of Bow Valley High. It's number two on the division-wide list. A new K-5 school in Heartland is now sixth on the list and a new K-9 for Cochrane is number eight.

Gilbert and other Rocky View officials have their fingers crossed for some good news about Bow Valley High in this fall's provincial budget.

"That is what we really need and are very hopeful that the government will recognize that as well. We are very hopeful that the government will stick with their commitment to funding needed infrastructure and the expansion of Bow Valley High is definitely at the top of the list for Cochrane."

Approval would be great, but the reality is it would not open for three years. In the meantime, RVS will struggle to find short-term solutions.

Last week, RVS trustees were told preliminary counts indicated a 3.67 increase in enrolment across the division.