EMSB to decide on major school change proposals January 20

The English Montreal School Board held two evenings of hearings on January 8 and 9, as part its major school change proposals for 2020-2021.

Representatives from the governing boards of schools implicated in the consultation process  made presentations.  

The EMSB Long Range Planning Committee proposed several scenarios which could involve school mergers and/or closures:

• General Vanier Elementary School in St. Léonard had its facility handed over to the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île (CSPI) last summer by the Minister of Education. It is presently cohabiting with Pierre de Coubertin Elementary School. It is being proposed that General Vanier merge with either Pierre de Coubertin, Dante or Honoré Mercier – all in St. Léonard.
• John Paul I Junior High School in St. Léonard also had its facility handed over to the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île last summer. It presently cohabiting with Laurier Macdonald High School. It is being proposed that the present arrangement remain in place or the two schools merge.
• Dorothy Elementary School in St. Michel presently has 115 students while nearby Our Lady of Pompei Elementary School in Ahuntsic has an enrolment of 167. It is being proposed that the schools merge into one of the two buildings, to create one more viable elementary school in that area.
• In Montreal North, the possibility of moving Lester B. Pearson High School to a newly constructed facility over the next few years is also being considered. While no specific location is currently proposed, the board will hear what the LBHS community thinks of the idea in principle.

EMSB Trustee Marlene Jennings presided over the hearings. She was accompanied by the Director General Ann Marie Matheson and members of the Long Range Planning Committee. She will announce her decisions at a special Board meeting on Monday evening, January 20 (7 pm). 

Please see below links for more detail:

• Major School Change Documentation
• Briefs Presented by School Governing Boards
• FAQ
• Enrolment Figures