Its name may be the English Montreal School Board but one of the EMSBs big plans for the future involves a lot more French.
At Wednesday's board meeting, commissioners voted in favour of a recommendation to open a new Français Plus elementary school in N.D.G.
Joseph Lalla, EMSB commissioner for NDG and Montreal West said the brand-new primary school would give parents a new opportunity have their kids take part in a more intense French program without having to send them to a French school.
"Not only is it opening a new school, it would be opening a new program," Lalla told CTV Montreal. "This would be the first time we'd have what we call the Français Plus program, which is full immersion from kindergarten, Grade 1, 2, 3 and 4."
"Then at Grade 5 and 6 it would be 50 per cent English, 50 per cent French."
The new school wouldn't get a new building. The recommendation calls for the school to take over the building at 4850 Coronation Ave., which is the current home of the Focus and Outreach alternative High Schools.
The EMSBs plan would see students from the High schools relocated to James Lyng High School building in Saint-Henri, which the board called a bonus for the students since James Lyng offers better facilities than their current location.
The EMSB also voted on a recommendation for a massive $12.5 million renovation project for Westmount Park Elementary.
The work would be done over two years and see the school's interior completely torn down. The board said all of the building's plumbing and wiring needs to be redone.
Because of the extensive work that needs to be done, the 700 students attending Westmount Park would need to be relocated. The proposal would see the students be divided and sent to either St. John Bosco Elementary in Ville Émard or Marymount Academy in N.D.G.
While family members will be kept together, some friends may be split up as both schools would receive students from kindergarten to Grade 6.
Both proposals will have to go through consultation process which includes several committees and the schools involved.
A final answer is expected in early January.