Pierrefonds's Riverdale High forced to close, building to be handed over to French board

Quebec's Education Ministry is forcing the closure of Riverdale High School in the West Island to accommodate an overflow of students at one of Montreal's French-language school boards.

The building in Pierrefonds will be taken over by the French-language Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys (CSMB) as of July.

Next year, the 300-odd students who would have enrolled atRiverdale, which is part of the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB), will be required to attend different schools.

That means students like ChloeAdamcik, who is in Grade 9, won't be able to graduate with many of her friends.

"It's upsetting," she said. "Now my friends are going to split up, and I'm not going to be with the same people."

A spokesperson for Education Minister Jean-Franois Roberge's office confirmed Monday the minister intends to use section 477.1.1 of the Education Act to "accelerate the transfer" of this school to the CSMB.

"After looking at all the possibilities and discussing with all the parties, the solution for the next school year is to transferRiverdaleHigh School to theCSMB," Robergesaid in a statement.

The two school boards hadbeen in discussions for almost a year to explore different options to deal with the CSMB's"extraordinary influx" of newly registered students including new immigrants.

CSMBpresidentDiane Lamarche-Vennesaid the board'sfirst priority was to find a quick solution to that problem, and that the school board is very happy with this solution.

Were there other options?

Noel Burke, chair of theLBPSB, said it would be immoral not to give the space they have to the CSMB.

"These are public buildings," he said.

But, in a statement,Burke said he'sconcerned by the province's move.

"I am worried by the minister's decision to accelerate this process while alternative options may still be possible," Burke said.

RiverdaleandLindsay Place High School inPointe-Clairestartedhosting more than 80 students from theCSMBthis month.

Thetransfer announced Monday would make room for 770 CSMB students, bringing the total number of spots vacated by the LBPSBto meet the CSMB's needs to 1,200, the ministry said.

Jared Pellatt,the parent of a Grade 11 student at Riverdale High, said his main concern is losing the English-language programs offered at the school.

"There are adult education programs. Is that going to continue?" he toldDaybreak. "Will that continue in a French-only manner?"

Pellattsaid sharing hallways but not classrooms was a better solution than closing the English side altogether.

"It was interesting and it almost showed the uniqueness of Quebec, where French and English can work side by side. It doesn't have to be one or the other," Pellatt said.

'Extraordinary and rare power'

Gregory Kelley, a Liberal MNA and the Opposition critic for issues affecting the anglophone population, said his party is extremely disappointed Riverdale is closing down.

"[Roberge] has decided to use a very extraordinary and rare power to close down an English school without consulting teachers parents or the communities on that front," Kelley said.

He said the decision disregards the students' perspectives.

"This [is] a minister who has a plan to first and foremost get rid of school boards," Kelley said. "[It] seems that he'll have more power to continue to close our schools without going through the process of consulting the community."

Quebec's English School BoardsAssociation called it a "gross infringement on local autonomy and on the powers of duly elected school board commissioners."

"It is unacceptable to us,"QESBAPresident DanLamoureuxin a statement.

Christopher Skeete, the CAQ's parliamentary secretary responsible for relations with the English-speaking community, said Roberge'sdecision was necessary.

He pointedout that Riverdale was at 50 per cent capacity, while schools in the CSMB are bursting at the seams.

"This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone at Lester B. Pearson," he said on Daybreak. "The minister, at the end, decided that kids have a right toeducation."

Riverdale was founded in 1964 and bills itself asa "true melting-pot in a multicultural city," according to its website.

It's a small school, but one Riverdale teacher says that allowsher to bemore attuned to what's happening in her students' lives.

"You know what's happening with their backgrounds, they all know each other, and everyone takes care of everyone," said Valerie Jack.