Montreal, September 7  2022 – Some of the ever-lasting images of September 11,  2001 were the brave first responders rushing into the World Trade Center – and to mark the 21 st anniversary of the terrorist attacks, this Thursday (10 am), September 8 students from four EMSB schools will spend the day at Montreal’s Firefighter Training Centre (6700 Rue Notre-Dame Est). In the morning, students from Rosemount High School and Nesbitt Elementary in Rosemount and Perspectives I and Perspectives II High Schools in St. Michel will formally commemorate the anniversary of September 11 th . This ceremony will include a virtual testimonial from Bill Spade, retired FDNY firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center on 9/11 as well as reflections from Gordon Routley, Assistant Director of the Montreal Fire Department and other local first responders. In the afternoon, students will participate in interactive workshops with the firefighters that focuses on their train...

Montreal, September 6, 2022 -  On the eve of a provincial election, which will take place on October 3, the English Montreal School Board  will be  engaging with candidates to bring forward important issues related to public education . As a pedagogical exercise, the EMSB will organize a bilingual virtual information session for Tuesday afternoon, September 20 at 1 pm that will be streamed live into classrooms across the school board. Representatives from each political party will be invited to participate.   EMSB Chair Joe Ortona and Director General Nick Katalifos will give opening remarks. Two members of the English Montreal Student Advisory Council (EMSAC) will serve as moderators. The session will be broadcast live on YouTube, with students being able to ask questions via the chat function. In addition, some schools will also organize in-person or virtual sessions with their local candidates. These meetings are apolitical and are intended to provide a method...

Montreal, August 29, 2022 -  From its humble beginnings as a schoolhouse on the corner of Clarke and Cote St. Antoine in 1873, on Tuesday, August 30 (1 pm), Westmount High School (4350 Ste. Catherine St. W) is set to mark the beginning of its 150 th year in education. Westmount High School will kick off its sesquicentennial on Tuesday by welcoming back alumni, both students and staff, who will officially cut the ribbon on what will undoubtedly be a year filled with special events and celebrations. Additionally, the high school will unveil a specially curated memorabilia exhibit that students, staff and the public will be able to visit throughout the year About the English Montreal School Board With a youth and adult sector population of more than 35,000 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, the EMSB network consists of...

Montreal, August 12 , 20 2 2 – The English Montreal School Board i s pleased to learn that a Quebec Superior Court judge has suspended parts of Bill 96, the new provincial language law. Ju stice Chantal Corriveau suspend ed two sections of the law that will require any legal proceedings filed in English in Quebec to be accompanied by a French translation ( Mitchell et al c PGQ , 500-17-121419-223) .  A hearing on the merits of the case is expected be held in November.   “This is a very encouraging development,” said EMSB Chair Joe Ortona. “The present-day Quebec government has once again been told by the courts that it has  overstepp ed its bounds. This has already been the case for Bills 40 and 21 dealing with the abolition of school boards and secularism.”   The EMSB is contesting the validity of Bill 96 in court as well , including the very provisions suspended by the court today .   T he EMSB ’s contestation is based notably on s. 23 of the  C...

Montreal, A ugust 10, 2022- A survey conducted by the Association for Canadian Studies, working with polling firm Leger, shows that three years after Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, was  adopted , religious minorities in the province are feeling increasingly alienated and hopeless.     “This is highly regrettable, yet not surprising,” commented EMSB Chair Joe Ortona. Chair Ortona with Hanifya Scott, who retired in June as a teacher at Carlyle. She was only permitted to wear her hijab because of a grandfather clause in Bill 21. In April of 2021, the Quebec Superior Court struck down key provisions of Bill 21. This decision applied to all English school boards based on Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.   The provincial government appealed the ruling, so it therefore remains in place. Justice Marc-André Blanchard   stated that the law violates the basic rights of religious minorities in the province. "[Bil...

 It is a tradition at Willingdon Elementary School that the graduation class leaves a legacy gift for the school.   This year, Willingdon’s Parent Graduation Committee and the  graduation class worked  with Le Grand Pas organization for the Grade 6 students' Legacy Service Project as a way of giving back to the community. “We felt it was an excellent way for the students to learn at a young age how important it is to help others in need by participating in this unique project,” said Carolyn Bouchard -MacNeil, the liaison parent with the organization. The project started in March when the Grade 6 students  began collecting a list of toiletries within their network. The students had designed a few letters that they could use to collect donations. The goal was to fill 150 bags with these products, including; toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitizer, floss, masks, deodorant, band-aids, shampoo, body lotion, etc. The graduation class also  committed to providing...

Montreal, June 14, 2022- The annual EMSB Public Speaking competition was held in late April for high school students.  . Students were invited  to prepare and deliver a speech that just might change a little part of their world. This year, they had a quotation to inspire and guide them in selecting their topics. Cycle I students delivered narrative speeches and Cycle II students presented persuasive speeches. Winners:  Secondary I Stefano Vendittolli  “I Miss You Dad” (Vincent Massey Collegiate)   Lorena Giannini  “The Heroes Who Don’t Wear Capes” (Lester B. Pearson High School) Jane Raimbert “My Golder Shoes” (Royal West Academy) Secondary II Eliane Goldstein “How I Started my Holocaust Podcast” (Westmount High School) Jihyo Lee “The Start of Something New” (Marymount Academy) Matthew Luong “My Art Journey” (Laurier Macdonald High School) Secondary III Alexander Luis-Kaminer “Quebec’s Outr...