Montreal’s Centennial Academy will remain open
Posted June 5, 2025 1:24 pm.
Last Updated June 5, 2025 5:25 pm.
After months of uncertainty, Centennial Academy has announced it will remain open for the 2025–2026 school year and beyond, thanks to major support from a coalition of private donors.
The downtown Montreal high school, which serves 300 students with learning differences, had been facing possible closure due to nearly $9 million in debt, but a campaign led by the Léger Family Foundation — with support from the Molson Foundation and other philanthropic organizations — has secured the school’s future.
A school with a unique mission
Centennial Academy provides a regular high school program for students with diverse learning needs, including ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, and other challenges. Its teaching methods are based on universal design for learning, which means students don’t receive modified programs but are given tools and strategies to help them succeed.
“Centennial has a future not only for the next year, but for the coming years, and we’ve overcome a great financial challenge,” said Angela Burgos, Head of School.
“These students depend on Centennial. Many of them arrive here from other schools not successful, not confident, and Centennial provides them with tools, resources, and an approach that builds that confidence and provides them with opportunity,” she added.
Many of the school’s students transfer in after struggling in more traditional environments.
“We created a routine here at school, and we do the simple things very differently, and that’s not existing anywhere else,” Burgos explained.
“A lot of students arrive here anxious, and that’s their difficulty. They’re having trouble with just the busyness of school. There’s so much going on and so many changes throughout the day. We have taken, you know, we haven’t sacrificed the program, but we’ve made changes to make a routine and predictable environment.”
Teachers, students breathe a sigh of relief
Social studies teacher Hayden Thomassin said the news has lifted a weight off the school community.
“It means a lot,” he said.
“It’s a lot of relief for myself and students because the school does so much for our student body, and it’s a really unique place. So it’s just a relief across the school to know that we’re going to be able to keep going and help our students and give them the resources that they need.”
Thomassin, who’s been at Centennial for three years, said the impact of staying open is hard to put into words.
“The amount of confidence we give our students, the amount of resources, and you can see our students throughout the year start to light up and be excited about learning again. And that, you can’t really put a price on that.”
When staff heard the news, the reaction was instant.
“Just ecstatic,” Thomassin said.
“The office, we’re all thrilled. You go into the classrooms, students are happy, they’re talking about next year with excitement for the first time in a while. It’s just a weight off our shoulders.”
Closure would have been ‘devastating’
Without the emergency support, the future looked bleak. “Devastating, if I’m being honest,” Thomassin said, describing how both students and staff had been carrying months of anxiety.
“You can see it over the last few months. There’s been worry from our students, from our staff, just because it’s such a unique place that provides so much to the students that need it. It was just worry about what’s going to happen to our students, and the students are scared to know how they’ll integrate into a new system, a new school.”
Community mobilization made it possible
Centennial’s financial troubles began after the school lost its former location and moved into a costly heritage building in 2020. The French sector, which serves half of the student population, has been particularly vulnerable because it does not receive government funding.
The school credits its survival to a groundswell of support from the community — including parents, teachers, donors, and volunteers — as well as public advocacy from local politicians and medical professionals. An open letter signed by doctors and psychiatrists underlined the school’s importance for youth mental health.
“Some teachers told me they had tears in their eyes and they had a hard time. It was just such a relief. I think just to know that we can continue the work that we do. I think that the people that work here really love to see the changes in their students.”
“It’s not just a job. It’s a vocation to be able to create the conditions for success. And when it’s not happening, figure out a way. And, you know, we’re collaborating, we’re working together to help kids that are struggling. And I think that that’s the part that’s valued by our entire team.”
Still spots open for fall
With its future now more secure, Centennial Academy is continuing to accept students for next year.
“Centennial, we take students all year round. We still have spots for next year. So students this summer, if you get your report card and you don’t know what to do, come and check us out and see if we can help you,” said Burgos.
