The OPP Canine Unit and other officers were called again to Centre Wellington District High School on March 5 and 6 after a bomb threat was found.
It’s the second time in a few months officers were called to the school. A threat of violence was made in December, just before the Christmas break.
Principal Karen Welch informed students and parents of the bomb threat in a letter on the school’s website last week.
It stated, “a message [was] written on the stall of the second floor boy’s washroom indicating a bomb threat to the school on Thursday.
“The OPP, our director Dr. Martha Rogers, and Superintendent of Schools David Euale are involved. This threat is being taken seriously by the school, the school board and the police.”
Welch added, “The OPP began their investigation last night. At their recommendation, the school was checked thoroughly by the custodial staff. Also, the OPP Canine unit will be on site today to check the school.
“On Thursday, we plan to keep the day as normal as possible by running all classes. There will be OPP and additional board staff on site. To ensure that students are kept safe, they will be kept in their classrooms at all times during each period of the day. They will be permitted in the halls … at break time only.
“Students on spares will only be in the library to work. We will keep the cafeteria available only for lunch. The second and third floors will not be accessible at lunch time.”
When an Advertiser reporter visited the school on Thursday morning, there was extra security at the front doors, and others were locked. Welsh said to the reporter, “Would you please exit the premises.”
When OPP Constable Keith Robb was asked if the bomb threat was used just to get an extra day or two off school, he said, “That’s most likely what it was all about.”
But, Robb added, “You can’t ignore them … You have to make sure the students are safe.”
Upper Grand District School Board communications officer Maggie McFadzen said in an interview that the day after the threat was a snow day, so there were likely fewer than ten students in the school that day.
On the Thursday, about 400 to 500 students were at the school, but McFadzen said many of them were on school trips for such things as athletic competitions.
The cost for all the extra security and police investigations is not yet known.
McFadzen said that one thing officials have impressed upon students is that if the students know who is behind the bomb threats, they should tell police or school officials.
Welsh stated in her letter, “This is the second time this school year that we have received such a threat in this manner. Whoever is involved in writing this type of threat has seriously interfered with the comfort, safety, and education of all CWDHS students.
“Anyone found responsible for this type of action will face criminal charges.
“We are calling on any student or parent who has any information about this message and threat to please notify the administration, a teacher, any member of the staff, or Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477).
“Students may also place anonymous messages into the Talking Locker. This type of information is vital in protecting our learning environment.”
McFadzen said all the precautions are necessary.
“All these things have to be taken very, very seriously. If you don’t, that’s when things happen,” she said.
