The Minister responsible for relations with Anglophones Jean-François Lisée is expected to meet with English school board Chairs today.

The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. at the EMSB headquarters on Fielding ave.

Mike Cohen, an official for the EMSB, says the invitation from Lisée's office only came on Friday.

"The fact that only a couple of weeks into their mandate they have decided to meet with the chairs of the two largest English school boards is impressive," he tells CJAD. 

Suanne Stein Day, chairman of the Lester B. Pearson school board, who also got the call says she is anxious to see what the Minister has to say.

"As the Minister responsible for Anglophones, we want to hear how he is reaching out to us, how he plans to build the Anglophone community, and certainly we want to hear that the English school system is still going to be respected."

Both Chairs note that there has been a lot of damage recently to the English school system which is grappling with declining enrollment. 

Cohen says the EMSB is losing on average 500 students a year, while the Lester B. Pearson board is losing around 700.

"It's definitely a concern for us," says Stein Day, "and we will bring it up with the Minister at the meeting."