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.
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.