A Kemptville high school remained closed for the fourth school day in a row Tuesday as the Ontario Provincial Police investigated an alleged threat to public safety.
An email sent to parents and guardians of students at St. Michael Catholic High School from the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario said there was no additional information to share as the police investigation continued.
The Monday night email said the school would remain closed on Tuesday, with a subsequent update expected to be emailed on Tuesday night.
“We will continue to support students online so that they may stay connected to their learning and their community,” the email read. “We will also offer support to any students who may need help with their wellbeing.”
A spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police said Grenville OPP and the OPP Crime Unit continued to investigate threats directed toward St. Michael Catholic High School.
“We understand the stress and concern these incidents have caused for students, parents, school staff and everyone in the community,” media spokesperson Bill Dickson said via email. “We remain committed to locating the individual or individuals responsible and holding them accountable. We cannot speculate on any connection between the two recent incidents and one in mid-September, but that is part of the ongoing investigation.”
In a previous incident on Sept. 13, St. Michael Catholic High School was temporarily locked down after an anonymous threat was left on voicemail overnight. The lockdown was lifted shortly after noon that day, when police determined there was “no actual threat.”
More recently, all schools in Kemptville and Iroquois were closed last Thursday after alleged threats against St. Michael and Seaway District High School in Iroquois, including those of the Catholic board, the Upper Canada District School Board and two French-language boards.
On Friday, the Catholic and Upper Canada boards said all other schools in Kemptville were open, but St. Michael remained closed as OPP investigated an additional threat. The Catholic board said then it was taking precautionary measures by closing the school after being advised by the Ontario Provincial Police “that they spoke directly to an anonymous person who indicated that, at the beginning of the school day on Friday, Oct. 4, there would be an act of violence involving weapons that would take place at St. Michael CHS.”
“The nature of these threats, their anonymity, and their unpredictability, require that we fall on our emergency procedures and communication protocols to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” the board said.
With files from Postmedia
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