The London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) continues to be the fastest growing Catholic school board in the province, with a 30% increase in student population over the past five years. The record enrollment is also driving a massive hiring push and new construction projects.
The LDCSB is up more than 1,500 students this year, and has added nearly 6,400 students since 2020, the equivalent of roughly 20 elementary schools. The current student population of 27,545 is 30 percent more than the 21,170 we had just five years ago.
In order to help support students, the school board has been on a massive hiring spree. More than 450 new employees have been hired since the beginning of 2024, including more than 100 new teachers. Since January of 2022, more than 1,400 new staff (including 450 teachers) have been added, bringing the total number of employees to around 4,500.
“Every year we are breaking student enrollment and employee figures from the previous year,” said Vince Romeo, Director of Education. “We continue to welcome new employees to our system each and every day. We continue to hire teachers and staff across nearly every sector, and we are building new schools and adding portables. We are also hopeful for approval to build additional schools.”
To help accommodate the growth, St. Gabriel, our newest elementary school in NW London, is on track to open in early 2025, and elementary schools in NE London and the Komoka-Kilworth area are in the planning stages. An addition at St. Anne’s elementary school in St. Thomas is complete, and construction on the new Regina Mundi College secondary school is well underway.
The LDCSB is hoping for approval to build even more schools in the future. In the meantime, it has added 130 new portables over the past three school years, including more than 50 for the 2024-25 school year.
Approximately 4,500 employees work together to educate over 27,500 students in 44 elementary and 9 secondary schools in London as well as Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties.
Summary of Above Statistics
Staff
Since Jan 1, 2024: 454 new employees (108 teachers and 346 other staff)
Since Jan 1, 2022: 1,428 new employees (447 teacher and 981other staff)
Approximately 4,500 employees as of August 28, 2024
Staff
Since Jan 1, 2024: 454 new employees (108 teachers and 346 other staff)
Since Jan 1, 2022: 1,428 new employees (447 teacher and 981other staff)
Approximately 4,500 employees as of August 28, 2024
Students
2020: 21,170
2021: 22,900
2022: 24,500
2023: 26,000
2024: 27,545
5-Year Change: 6,375 or 30% larger
2020: 21,170
2021: 22,900
2022: 24,500
2023: 26,000
2024: 27,545
5-Year Change: 6,375 or 30% larger