EMSB Chair calls for Merton School staff and parents to be added to pilot project for COVID-19 vaccinations

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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 based on postal codes, but we do believe that is unfair for Merton to be the only school in Côte Saint-Luc not to be included," said Mr. Ortona. "Many of these families live right next door to others who have received vaccination appointments already. Somehow the process needs to be adjusted. We are pleased to see that most staff at these schools are being included. We continue to maintain that staff working in all schools should be recognized as frontline workers and be vaccinated.

Santé Publique has already ordered the closure of four EMSB schools due to COVID-19 cases from the new variant: John F. Kennedy High School in St. Michel;  Michelangelo International Elementary School in RDP;  Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North and MIND High School in the Plateau.

 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.

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Contact:

Michael J. Cohen
Communications and Marketing Specialist
English Montreal School Board
514-826-0383

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