Kemptville, Ont. school opens following 4 days of closure after anonymous threats
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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. Justice Department brings criminal charges in Iranian murder-for-hire plan targeting Donald Trump
The U.S. Justice Department on Friday disclosed an Iranian murder-for-hire plot to kill Donald Trump, charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before this week's election with assassinating the Republican president-elect.
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Beyonce leads the 2025 Grammy noms, becoming the most nominated artist in the show's history
Welcome to Beyonce country. When it comes to the 2025 Grammy Award nominations, 'Cowboy Carter' rules the nation.
Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam. The violence was condemned as antisemitic
Israeli fans were assaulted after a soccer game in Amsterdam by hordes of young people apparently riled up by calls on social media to target Jewish people, Dutch authorities said Friday. Five people were treated at hospitals and dozens were arrested after the attacks, which were condemned as antisemitic by authorities in Amsterdam, Israel and across Europe.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.
107-year-old temperature record among dozens broken across Canada
Canadians are experiencing a wave of warm weather across multiple provinces well into the fall season, shattering dozens of temperature records.
Prince William calls past year 'incredibly tough'
Prince William has described the past year as "brutal" following cancer diagnoses for his wife and father. "Honestly, it's been dreadful," he said.
Canada's permanent employees earning more, according to latest jobs data
Canada added lower-than-expected 14,500 jobs in October and wages of permanent employees rose, data showed on Friday, as the economy grappled to absorb the slack built up due to a rapidly rising population amid an overheated market.