Moncton High students concerned about move

Moncton High School students and their parents are upset that the facility will soon close for the rest of the school year.

The deteriorating condition of the 75-year-old structure forced the local school district to announce the closure Friday afternoon, just hours before many people gathered for the school's annual homecoming football game.

At the game, the talk was about the school and its 1,300 students, who will be moved to various schools throughout Moncton.

Tanayia Smith, a Grade 11 student who is being transferred to Edith Cavell Community School, said she doesn't want to switch schools. 

"I've been there for three years and I don't really wanna give it up," she said. "Like, it's my home."

District officials say the closure is necessary because more than 240 work orders have come from the school in the last 18 months.

Mould, rust among concerns

Concerns have included rusty steel pillars that forced the school to close for six days in September, mould on the ceilings, and complaints from several teachers who claim the school is causing them health problems.

Grade 9 student Alex Desroches said the deteriorating conditions at the school are real.

"My friend, actually, the second day after he found out that there was mould and stuff in the school, he went home and threw up like six times," he said.

Parent Daniel Richards said he's disappointed and blames the district office.

"There's shame [that] should be over that office right now," he said. "Because District 2 should have been able to address this a long time before six or seven weeks into a school year."

Grade 11 and 12 students will be sent to Edith Cavell at the end of the month. That move will displace 235 students from kindergarten to Grade 8, who will have to move from Edith Cavell to Queen Elizabeth School.

On Nov. 15, Grade 9 and 10 students move to Northrop Frye School.