School closures follow fire at Polyvalente Lavigne

Extensive damages to Polyvalente Lavigne will see the school closed for at least three months while crews clear the site and begin repairs.

Fire, smoke and water damage have affected the school's library, gymnasium and as many as eight classrooms, likely amounting to damages in excess of $1 million.

According to the Commission scolaire de la Rivière-du-Nord, damages cover more than 60 per cent of the building, with the most affected areas being the roof, the ceiling and the electrical room, which was completely destroyed.

There was no reported damage to either LRHS or the Centre Performance Plus and classes resumed for these students on Friday, September 23. The City of Lachute has also announced that municipal swim classes at the high school pool have also resumed on schedule.

Students at the Polyvalente Lavigne have been reassigned to three alternate locations and they will be returning to class on Thursday, September 29. Secondary one and two students will be attending school at 77 Hammond Street in Lachute and will have regular school hours and classes.

Secondary three, four and five students (Grade 9, 10 and 11) will be sharing the Laurentian Regional High School premises and attending school at night. When the anglophone school closes for the day, the Polyvalente students will begin class on an evening schedule that runs from 3 to 9:30 p.m.

LRHS students will not be academically affected, but they will be sharing the school during after-school programs.

The special needs students will be attending school at 190 Parallel on Mary Street, also in Lachute, and they will be attending school during regular hours.

"We chose to send our older students to night school because we simply didn't have enough space available during the day," said CSRDN spokesperson Nadine Broche.

She said the board is working closely with the City of Lachute and the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board to ensure that classes resume as quickly as possible and they are doing their best to work with students, parents and teachers.

"We've been telling them since the fire that we are all there for the kids. Whether they are French or English, we are determined to get these kids back in school," said Maxeen Jolin, spokesperson for the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.

Some teachers and parents have objected to the new evening hours, which will restrict the amount of time parents see their children and which will also leave many students unsupervised while they are home during the day.

Parents of students at the Polyvalente Lavigne are encouraged to verify their new bus schedule on the school board website at www.csrdn.qc.ca. They can also call the 450-438-3131 hotline to voice their concerns and to obtain further information.

Those who wish to make monetary donations to the school should contact the Argenteuil Chamber of Commerce, which is coordinating a relief fund. The school is also seeking donations of academic supplies.