School communities huddle to tackle forced merger

Event aims to allow parents, students to voice opinions on Pierrefonds merger

Riverdale High School in Pierrefonds will hold a public town hall meeting Wednesday (6-8 p.m.) to allow students, parents and teachers to have their say on the impending merger with Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School.

PCHS held its own town hall meeting on Feb. 27 with many students parents and alumni expressing a firm desire to retain its school name and traditions, but also to assure Riverdale transfers they would be welcomed with open arms next fall.

The merger process began after Quebec Education Minister JeanFrançois Roberge announced in January that underused Riverdale would be ceded to the Commission scolaire Marguerite Bourgeoys to deal with overcrowding in the French school system.

While “Save Riverdale” petitions have been launched in a bid to reverse the minister’s decision, a merger committee was formed by the Lester B. Pearson School Board to facilitate the transfer of staff and students to PCHS next fall.

Nan Beaton, who represents the Riverdale community on the LBPSB’s council of commissioners, said the town hall meetings will allow the two school communities to navigate through what has been a difficult situation caused by the sudden closure of Riverdale, a pillar of the community since its opening in 1965.

“It was needed at PC, it’s also needed at Riverdale,” Beaton said after attending the PCHS meeting, along with other school board officials and Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis.

“Both communities needed the time (to), to use the term, grieve. But they both needed their time to discuss without too much outside influence,” Beaton said. “But once Riverdale has their town hall ... both communities need to come together and put the whole name change on the back burner and deal with (other issues).”

As for the school re-naming issue, Beaton said: “It’s hot-button, it’s very emotional. I’m a parent also of Riverdale. I had three kids graduate there. At the end of the day, it’s about what you can provide to the students. My parent’s hat says it breaks my heart to see Riverdale go, but I also see the advantage of the two communities coming together to form a very viable school.”

Asked if the merger of two Pierrefonds-based schools could proceed smoothly without a complete rebranding of PCHS, Beaton said: “I think the (name) is hot-button. Both schools would love to be able to keep their names. And PCHS, I feel for them because they didn’t ask for this. But Riverdale didn’t ask for it either. The government stepped in, and at the end of the day all the things we offered (the government) is none of what they wanted. What they wanted they got.”

Beaton said Riverdale students took the school closure news hard at first, but are slowly coming to terms with the new reality.

“The initial news, and how it was delivered, was hard. We didn’t have a chance to tell them. They had to wake up and hear it on the news.”

She said many students remain concerned about their future, but added they “are feeling comfortable knowing that the staff are coming with them, regardless of the school name.”

One suggestion floated at the PCHS meeting was dropping the word “Comprehensive” from PCHS and renaming the school Pierrefonds Community High School.

“Maybe it’s something the merger community would look at,” Beaton said.

“It’s a little different for the incoming students ... and it would reflect the community.

“At the end of the day, we just want the two communities to come together. We want Riverdale to feel welcome, and we want PC not to feel that they’re being pushed over, that they’re losing their identity.”