St. Albert RCMP will be at Paul Kane High School this Monday to provide extra security after a threat was made against a staff member. In an email sent to parents, principal Duncan Knoll wrote that on Wednesday, Feb.
St. Albert RCMP will be at Paul Kane High School this Monday to provide extra security after a threat was made against a staff member.
In an email sent to parents, principal Duncan Knoll wrote that on Wednesday, Feb. 17, the school received a threat that appeared to be directed toward a staff member.
The threat was said to take place on Monday, Feb. 22. The school is not releasing details of the threat, including the nature of the threat or the staff member involved, as the matter is now under investigation by the St. Albert RCMP.
He cautioned that there would be a police presence at the school and asked all students to use only the front doors to get in or out of the building, and noted the school and division take the security of students and staff very seriously.
“The precautions that we have in place at Paul Kane represent a level of response that St. Albert Public Schools and the RCMP believe are necessary,” Knoll wrote.
There will be no change to the class schedule on Monday.
Parents are encouraged to speak with their children in the school about the threat, and encourage them to come forward with any information that could help with this investigation.
“It is unfortunate that someone has chosen to communicate something that is threatening to the school,” Knoll wrote.
St. Albert RCMP could not be reached for comment on this investigation by deadline.
This is the second time in as many weeks that a reported threat at local schools has prompted a police response.
More than 1,000 students and staff at St. Albert Catholic High and Vincent J. Maloney were subject to a full lockdown Feb. 8 after the high school received a report of a gunman in a black trench coat near the two schools.
Police quickly determined that call had been a prank, and normal operations resumed at the schools with an hour.
Catholic board Supt. David Keohane described the call as “selfish and single-minded behaviour,” that “basically held learning hostage.”
Anyone who can provide information about either the prank call two weeks ago or the current threat investigation should contact St. Albert RCMP at 780-458-7700.
