#SaveLakeside: Academy wins at St-Patrick’s Day Parade

Lakeside Academy was Irish on Sunday for the Saint-Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Montreal. The show from the spirited Lachine school earned the Lester B. Pearson School Board the trophy for best high school unit at the parade, awarded by the United Irish Societies of Montreal.

 
The school band played on the float and a group of 40 students, parents and school commissioners walked in the parade, all dressed in green.

“We took full advantage of promoting our fine school our quest to keep Lakeside alive is in full swing,” said parent Jennifer Park, who organized the #SaveLakeside movement after the school was slated for closure by the L.B.P.S.B. in December.

She found the mix of students, administration, teachers and parents coming together to represent the school at the parade promising. Lakeside’s closure was postponed by one year after a reconsideration vote in January. Since then, the school has been upping their initiatives, like an open house, to drive up enrollment.

“The very disruptive decision to possibly close Lakeside instead created a solid sense of community. It has made us stronger and determined to show the school board what a terrible mistake they made and reverse the decision completely come this fall,” said Park.

The school’s next event is a robotics competition at the Uniprix Stadium on April 1.