An Eastern School District meeting drew dozens of parents whose children attend Virginia Park Elementary. (CBC)

Placard-waving parents unleashed their anger at a school board meeting in St. John's Wednesday night, as trustees put off a decision on relocating their school.

Nearly 100 parents with children at Virginia Park Elementary chartered a bus to attend an Eastern School District meeting, after learning that an internal report recommended building a new school in a new subdivision in St. John's.

"We're all really frustrated and upset," said Katherine Murrin, who like many other parents lives within walking distance of the school.

"Our kids are going to now have to be bused out of the community, so where is the idea of a neighborhood school? It's gone."

Virginia Park parents have lobbied for years for a new school to replace the aging building in the east end neighbourhood.

The board is considering a proposal to build a new school on Snow's Lane, near growing subdivisions.

The area is also considerably more affluent, prompting concern that the parents in the Virginia Park area were being "marginalized," said school council representative Peter Whittle.

Katherine Murrin believes that parental pressure contributed to a deferral of a decision on the future of Virginia Park Elementary. (CBC)

The school board has decided to postpone its decision for further study, although no date has been set for a conclusion to be reached.

Parents argued that busing children to another area of the city contravenes the Newfoundland and Labrador government's policy of championing neighbourhood schools, as well as healthier lifestyles.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael said the deferral was likely prompted by the parent protest.

"If they hadn't just found out by accident today that this decision was being made tonight, they would have gotten up tomorrow morning to find out that their school had been moved," Michael said.

Murrin agreed.

"If we hadn't been tipped off, this would have just went to motion and it probably would have passed," she said.

"I think the fact that there was so many people present here really helped sway them a little bit too."

West end high school

Meanwhile, the school board made a long-awaited decision on a new high school for the west end of St. John's.

A new high school, to be built along Topsail Road, will be designed for families in neighbourhoods like Bowring Park and Cowan Heights, many of whom currently must send their children to high schools in the centre of the city.

Sarah Colborne Penney, who co-chairs a parental committee in the area, was pleased with the decision.

"The Topsail Road location is right in the centre of the catchment area. Topsail Road is a high traffic area [and] it can handle the increased traffic flow. The government already owns the land," she said.

"I think the board really got it right this time."

There is no timeline yet on when the new school might open.