Behind the ultimate weeks of the college 12 months at Villa Maria College, households say nervousness over the college’s future is rising as soon as once more.
A petition marketing campaign has now been revived after Notre-Dame-de-Grâce MNA Désirée McGraw says a call on the college’s destiny could also be coming prior to anticipated.
“The brand new board might be making a advice — or a call, actually — throughout the coming weeks as as to if Villa stays or leaves,” she stated.
The Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, who personal the land, had introduced plans in 2023 to finally promote the property as soon as the college’s lease expires in 2030.
Since then, the uncertainty surrounding the college’s future has sparked protests, authorized motion and a rising concern from households.
McGraw says the uncertainty alone has deeply affected the college group.
“There’s already an influence and there might be a fair higher influence on purposes even subsequent 12 months — this coming 12 months — as a result of even when the choice is to maneuver, maintain it open and transfer, individuals aren’t typically signing their youngsters up for a college in secondary 1 not realizing the place they’re going to graduate in secondary 5,” stated McGraw.
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In an e mail to International Information, the board’s chair, Suzanne Gouin, confirmed that it hopes to desk suggestions to the congregation within the coming weeks and added that it’s working diligently at figuring out a everlasting answer for the college.
“The dialogue with the congregation is open, constructive and collaborative. We’re taking a look at all of the choices and bearing in mind the college’s pedagogical undertaking,” she added.
McGraw says she has additionally been in discussions with the Quebec authorities concerning the college’s future and ministers are following the state of affairs carefully.
For households now watching the clock tick towards a doable choice, the hope is that Villa Maria’s subsequent chapter can nonetheless be written on the identical campus it has known as dwelling for generations.
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