St. Michael Catholic High School in Kemptville, Ont. is scheduled to open Wednesday after being closed for four consecutive days, as Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigated alleged anonymous threats.
The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario said in an update it will operate on a shortened day starting at 11 a.m.
“The rationale behind the shortened day is that it is critical that when we welcome students back into the school, that we do it in the most supportive, caring, and empathetic manner,” said the school board said in the update.
“We also would like to prepare our staff with all the essential tools they may need when speaking with students. For this reason, Kevin Cameron, executive director of the Center for Trauma Informed Practices will be addressing staff in the morning to provide insight and to ensure that we are prepared.”
Parents who have not received the bus pick-up time for their child are asked to check the STEO website for the updated schedule, the school board notes.
Intermediate students will attend their regular period three, four and five classes from 11 a.m. to 2:10 p.m., as they would normally have on Wednesdays.
Secondary students will attend their regular week two, period three from 11 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. and period four from 12:45 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.
Parents are invited to join the school board to a virtual information session starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday for updates.
The Catholic high school was closed from Thursday to Tuesday following anonymous threats directed towards the school, according to the school board. On Monday, the school was closed after the board said, “a full evaluation of threats to St. Michael CHS has not been completed in order to accurately assess the risk to public safety.”
On Friday, the board said the Ontario Provincial Police said they spoke directly to an “anonymous person who indicated that at the beginning of the school day on Friday, there would be an act of violence involving weapons that would take place” at the school.
On Thursday, all schools in Kemptville were closed after an alleged threat targeting St. Michael Catholic High School.
With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Jack Richardson