This is an important week for parents hoping to keep their English public schools open.

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) will hear from school communities as it decides whether to close, relocate, or merge them.

The meetings started Monday night.

Several schools are facing closure or merger and a handful more could be relocated.

The EMSB has said it must close several schools because of declining enrolment, which has dropped by 20 per cent in the last decade.

Parents are expected to argue the schools offer programs and opportunities that are important in their communities and should stay as they are.

Parents from Nesbitt School, in Montreal's Rosemont neighbourhood, have been using social media in the fight to keep their children's school open.

They created a YouTube video and launched an online petition to save the school.

The hearings will run through Thursday.

The EMSB is expected to vote on the proposals in January 2012.

EMSB school hearings schedule

Monday, Dec. 5 Schools and proposals

  • St. Brendan School (closure).
  • Nesbitt School (closure).
  • Perspectives II High School (relocation).
  • Vincent Massey Collegiate and St. Pius X Adult Education Centre (relocation).

Tuesday, Dec. 6

  • St. Raphaël School (relocation).
  • Royal Vale School and Marymount Adult Education Centre (relocation).
  • Carlyle School (closure).

Wednesday, Dec. 7

  • St. Gabriel/St. John Bosco School (closure).
  • Vezina High School (relocation).
  • James Lyng High School (closure).
  • Programme Mile-End High School (relocation).

Thursday, Dec. 8

  • Fraser Academy (closure).
  • Westmount Park district boundary.
  • Advisory Committee on Special Education Services.
  • Central Parents’ Committee.