Family and faculty celebrate opening of state-of-the-art school for children with special needs

State-of-the-art special needs school opens in NDG A big day for Anglophone parents who have children with special needs – the Mackay Philip E. Layton School had its ribbon cutting today.

It was a big day for Anglophone parents who have children with special needs: a brand new, state of the art school officially opened.

The Mackay Philip E. Layton School had its ribbon cutting on Tuesday, and for even the tiniest students, it was clear that the day was special.

One hundred and seventy students spend their days there – children with developmental, intellectual, audio, or visual impairments.

The updated building cost more than $30 million, and the land was donated by the English Montreal School Board.

It’s been a longtime labour of love for the people who attend and work at the school.

The old Mackay school was built in the 1960’s, so getting a new school wasn’t just an option – but a need.

The school is the only one of its kind for Montreal’s Anglophone community, and teachers say the change is very welcome.