Edinburgh shows off its modular classrooms at ribbon-cutting ceremony

Edinburgh Elementary School in Montreal West opened its doors to the media and senior administrators and officials from the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) on December 17 for an on-site visit of its new modular classrooms. Students started using the two new classrooms, fitness room and resource room at the end of October.

Members of the Governing Board used the occasion to showcase the space and remark on the process that eventually led to “securing this crucial extra space for one of the most overcrowded schools in the EMSB network.”

Michael Rodgers, chair of Edinburgh’s Governing Board said: “Solving the overcrowding problem was a team effort by our Governing Board. A lot of work went into evaluating the different options and getting parent feedback before making our request to EMSB for the modular classrooms. This showed how well we can work together with EMSB to solve a problem with a positive outcome. Our children’s education is an investment in our future, and we’re very pleased and appreciate that EMSB invested in the modular classrooms. This extra space will better enable us to execute our education plan and enrich our children’s learning experience.”

Grade 6 student Cecilia Samayoa remarked: “We’re really happy to have our science lab back. We hadn’t had one in several years. It makes such a big difference: many of our friends are much more into science now. Having science in a science lab is so much better than having it from a cart!”

“We love the new fitness room!” exclaimed Ella Joy Langlois-Aalamian. “Now, when it rains or is very cold and we can’t go outside, we don’t have to sit at our desks to do our Phys. Ed if there’s another class in the gym. We can come to the fitness room! There are rowing machines, steps, ping pong tables – all kinds of fun stuff.”

Grade 3 and 4 students from Guarpreet Kaur and Crina Agheorghiesei’s classes presented two giant home-made thank-you cards to EMSB director general Ann Marie Matheson, who called the project “a wonderful collaboration” between staff, parents and the board. She noted it was the first time the board has offered modular classrooms as a way to provide extra space in a highly enrolled schools, and that this was “a great model.”

The total square footage of the modular extension is around 4,800 square feet, divided into four rooms of just under 800 square foot each plus the corridor that has windows on one side, and cubbies and hooks on the other.

This new area of the school is accessed through an indoor passageway in the school’s ground-floor hallway. You can read our earlier story here: https://www.emsb.qc.ca/emsb/articles/edinburgh-settles-into-its-new-classrooms-on-wheels]