SD23 AND SCHOOL FAMILIES
FAMILY OF SCHOOLS
School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) is a unique geographic area spanning both the east and west sides of Okanagan Lake.
There are a variety of physical barriers including smaller lakes, rivers, mountains, escarpments, canyons, forests, major highways, along with agricultural and industrial land uses. Residential developments can be located in urban areas, perched on the side of a mountain, or located in small flat pockets in a side valley. While two adjacent schools may look close on a map, they may be separated by physical barriers and be a considerable distance away by road. It cannot be assumed that surplus space at one school can be made available to a seemingly adjacent overcrowded school.
Physical barriers and suitable transportation links have been taken into consideration to develop school catchment areas, feeder schools and long-term facility requirements.
The School District has been divided into five geographic areas (School Families) which respect these barriers as best as possible and also reflect the local understanding of community neighbourhoods. Within each area is one of the District’s five secondary schools and their feeder school families. The five Family of Schools are:
The School District operates a French Immersion Program in 10 schools.
OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL DISTRICT
School District No. 23 is located in the Central Okanagan region of British Columbia and serves an estimated population of 211,411 (2019 BC Stats Estimates). Within this area there are six local governments: District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, Central Okanagan Regional District East and West and Westbank First Nation.
The District stretches for 60kms along the east and west shores of Okanagan Lake and is home to many large commercial interests as well as serving as a regional government, health services, university and retail hub.
Population Estimates and Projections
The Central Okanagan is one of BC’s fastest growing regions in the country. From 2014 to 2019 the population in the Central Okanagan increased 9.5%. The region is projecting an annual growth rate of 1.3% over the next 5 years.
The youth population, ages 0-19, historically average about 15% of the district's total population. Over the past five years, the age category having the largest increase is the under 1 year olds (+23%). The age group is increasing 3.5% a year since 2013. The largest increase was in 2018 with an estimate of 1,800 children under age 1. This projects out to a large K registration for September 2022. BC Stats forecast the under 1 age category to continue to rise from births and migration to the region.
The growth of the Regional District has been driven driven by an increase in interprovincial migration (persons who move between provinces). The District has seen the inmigration mainly from Alberta and Ontario. The intraprovincial migration over the last four years for this area has been increasing and the forecast for the trend is to continue. The intraprovincial migration (persons who move within the province) also had an increase from 2010-11 and has continued to average about 1,400 annually to 2016. The number has decreased over the last two years. The rise in intraprovincial migration could be connected to the growing number of people leaving the lower mainland and Vancouver Island due to increasing housing costs. In addition, the growth of UBC Okanagan has resulted in 1,000 graduates each year choosing to remain in the region.
The region continues to be a destination for seniors, requiring services and supports for the ageing population over the next 10-20 years. However, the increase of young adults (15-24) points to a shift in the city’s demographics beyond a region that attracts retirees. The increase from young adults may not bring new students to the school district; however, it is anticipated there will be an increase in birth rates that need to be considered in the future enrolment projections.
The following graph shows the Population Estimates and Projections from BC Stats.
