Parents at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School (PCHS) voiced their concerns at a special town hall meeting Tuesday about the forced merger with Riverdale High School.
Both schools are part of the English-language Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB).
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In January, the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government announced that it was closing the under-populated Riverdale High School in Montreal’s Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough.
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The building would then be handed over to the overcrowded French-language Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board (CSMB).
“We want to welcome them and their traditions to PCHS, but we don’t want to start over,” said Susan Brown, a member of the governing board.
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The school body said it is ready to accept students from Riverdale High School, as long as they don’t have to change the school’s name or rebrand.
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“When we speak to those at Riverdale, they have already been told that there will be a name change,” explained Juan Lamosa, who is part of the PCHS governing board.
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Parents say they are upset because they weren’t consulted before the forced merger was announced.
“Why spend money to change the logos, change the name? We already have a great school,” argued Lamosa.
Members of the school’s governing board say the school has spent years investing in the school’s reputation.
“Why not have a wall of history for Riverdale? We would rename our gym for them. I just feel rebranding is a bad idea. We have the jerseys, the gym — our school is amazing,” said Grade 10 student Matteo D’Amico.
A group of parents from both schools currently sit on a merger committee. A final decision is expected to be rendered in May.
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