Montreal, March 31,  2021 -    In response to the directive from the Quebec Ministry of Education that students in Secondary III, IV and V were  to return to school full-time as of Monday in red zones, the English Montreal School Board, after having carefully assessed the situation in each high school, has agreed to go forward with this plan where possible. This is consistent with the statement from the EMSB last week when it was  decided to stagger the return to school for the grades affected by this new directive and allow for the schools to properly plan and prepare for the full-time integration of secondary students in EMSB buildings and allow the Board to take into consideration the specificities of each school. All EMSB Secondary III students are now back in class. As of Tuesday, April 6, this will be expanded to 16 other high schools in the system. However, six schools, which were programmed with a hybrid model for Secondary IV and V students, will contin...

Montreal, March 27, 2021- The English Montreal School Board wishes  to confirm   that the following make and ID number of procedural mask , supplier Metallifer, number SNN200642 , was not distributed at any of our schools or centres. This is in response to a report that the provincial government sent out a directive on Friday saying that those  masks have “a potential for early lung toxicity.”   About the English Montreal School Board With a youth and adult sector population of more than 37,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec. Established on July 1, 1998, when the province created new boards along linguistic lines. Our network consists of 77 schools and centres. For more details, visit the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca . -30- Contact: Michael J. Cohen Communucations and Marketing Specialist English Montreal School Board 514-826-0383

Montreal, March 25, 2021- The Council of Commissioners of the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) announced today the appointment of Nicholas Katalifos as its Director General, effective March 29.   Given the fact he is not immediately available to fulfil these duties, Pelagia Nickoletopoulos will serve as Interim Director General. Mr. Katalifos has worked for the EMSB and the former Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal for 29 years. For the past three years he has served as the Principal of the Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte Saint-Luc. Prior to that he was the Principal of three elementary schools – Roslyn in Westmount and General Vanier and Pierre de Coubertin in St. Léonard – and he was the Vice Principal of two elementary schools – Gardenview in St. Laurent and Westmount High. He began his career in the education system as a teacher. Mr.  Katalifos has been integrally involved with community groups and associations, particularly as they relate to spec...

The English Montreal School Board welcomes the news that staff in close contact with students at  two additional schools in the West End will be vaccinated as part of a pilot project by Santé Publique Montréal. However,  Chair Joe Ortona expressed his concern that Merton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc has still not made the list. Last week the  EMSB learned that parents and staff in direct contact with students at four schools would be vaccinated:  Coronation Elementary School and Project Mile End Alternative High School in Côte des Neiges, John Grant High School in Côte Saint-Luc and Sir Mortimer B. Davis (Social Affairs School), based at the Jewish General Hospital.   Today, Mountainview Alternative High School  and the Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte Saint-Luc and Marymount Academy International  in NDG have been added, but not Merton. "We understand this is a pilot project and that Santé Publique officials have decided to proceed bas...

The English Montreal School Board welcomes the news that staff in close contact with students at  schools in the West End will be vaccinated as part of a pilot project by Santé Publique Montréal. On Wednesday the EMSB learned that parents at four schools would be vaccinated:  Coronation Elementary School and Project Mile End Alternative High School in Côte des Neiges, John Grant High School in Côte Saint-Luc and Sir Mortimer B. Davis (Social Affairs School), based at the Jewish General Hospital. The EMSB had written to Santé Publique Director Dr.  Mylène Drouin asking for staff to be included. EMSB Chair Joe Ortona expressed his concern that not all school staff will be included in this campaign. "In-school administrators, custodial staff and volunteers who are in the building regularly should be on the list as well," he said. "Based on the documentation we received earlier today, that is not the case." Mr. Ortona reiterated the EMSB's call to have staff at all ...

The English Montreal School Board has formally asked Montreal Public Health Director Mylène Drouin to have all staff at the four schools chosen for a vaccination plan pilot project to be included. Parents at Coronation Elementary School and Project Mile End Alternative High School in Côte des Neiges, John Grant High School in Côte Saint-Luc and Sir Mortimer B. Davis (Social Affairs School), based at the Jewish General Hospital, will be vaccinated. Parents with a child in a school or daycare in areas starting with the following postal codes are eligible: H4W, H3W and H3S. It was the Health Authority, not the EMSB, which chose these schools for part one of the pilot project in an effort to stave off new variants of COVID-19. The EMSB has formally written to Dr. Drouin to make the request on behalf of the teachers. About the English Montreal School Board With a youth and adult sector population of more than 37,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest E...

 Santé Publique  has decided to close Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North between March 18 and 22 inclusively  as a result of two confirmed  COVID-19 cases that have  been identified  as having the variant. This situation is not considered by authorities to be an outbreak.  Regular in-person classes will begin again on  March 23. Students and families that must remain in isolation will be informed directly through a telephone call. Detailed instructions from Santé Publique will be sent out to all families on Thursday. At that  time, parents will be told if they should get tested and which day thus should occur. Students will transition to distance learning via Google Classroom on Monday morning at 8:15 and  they will follow their normal schedule.   About the English Montreal School Board With a youth and adult sector population of more than 37,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest Eng...

Montreal, March 16, 2021 – Upon the recommendation of Santé Publique, the English Montreal School Board has announced that Michelangelo International Elementary School in RDP will be closed effective immediately for precautionary reasons due to recent cases of COVID-19.   The EMSB has been following all COVID-19 safety protocols this calendar year and maintained a low infection rate among students and staff of 1.4 percent. This marks the first time that a school has to be closed. It is important to note that all students and their families are considered to be low risk and may therefore continue with their daily activities. Nonetheless, at this point Santé Publique is strongly encouraging all students and their families to be tested.   Students in five classes, considered at moderate risk, must remain in isolation until March 25. Students are being asked to stay home from Wednesday, March 17 to Friday, March 26 . Families are being given an opportunity to go get tested...

New preventative measures for schools in red zones throughout Québec were announced this week by the Québec government . Effective Monday March 8, all elementary schools of the English Montreal School Board will be applying the new directives for masks . The wearing of a procedural mask will be mandatory for Grade 1 to 6 students in classrooms , common areas and on school transportation . The wearing of masks will not be required for elementary school students outdoors . Elementary school students will receive two child-sized procedural masks per day, provided at the school .  Pre-school students (K4 and 5) are not required to wear procedural masks in school .