The board members of the Lester B. Pearson School Board have voted unanimously to keep two schools on the chopping block open indefinitely.

The vote comes after campaigns by parents and community members to keep Lachine’s Lakeside Academy and Verdun’s Riverview Elementary School open.

In January, the parents won a one-year reprieve to keep the schools open until December.

“Six months ago, the facts were there. We had budget constraints, we didn’t know what the budget was going to bring down this year, but in previous years, we were getting new cuts every year to the tune of $3 million, $4 million a year on top of the existing $10 we already had,” explained Suanne Stein Day after reversing that decision.

“What’s different today is we learned a lot, we brought a community together, we brought ideas, out-of-the-box thinking, we brought more enrolment than we forecasted in those two schools, we brought municipalities who stood up and helped up, we brought a lot of things that didn’t exist in the past.”

Parents from both schools argued that it undermined their plans, because no one would enroll in a school only for one year.

Parents cheered at the announcement of the news. Linda Dalterio, who has a five-year-old in pre-K at Riverview, said she was ecstatic.

“I know that it’s hard with the government now, I know there are a lot of changes, but we are a reasonably small school, we’re a strong school, we’ve got a strong spirit and we’ve got ideas,” she said.

“A few of us did get together and carry the school’s voice. We were heard, so it really makes things breathable for at least the next little while,” she said.

Stein Day said the experience has taught the board an important lesson.

“We have to look at different ways of approaching this whole consultation,” she said.

Stein Day said thanks to no new government budget cuts, they do expect to carry a balanced budget this year, adding that it should not have too much of an impact on the schools.

“Some brand-new initiatives may have to slow down,” she said, adding that donations have helped offset those constraints.

Community groups will also rent the building outside school hours in a bid to support the school.

"It's more than just a school, it's a community centre that adds a lot of value to the whole community," said Stein Day.