North Vancouver School District
the natural place to learn©
News Item

​​

Letter to Handsworth Parents & Guardians: Update Regarding School Evacuation | June 14, 2018

June 14, 2018

Dear Parents/Guardians of Handsworth Secondary,

Handsworth_Logo_06142018-02.jpgSubject: Update regarding school evacuation

Following up to communication from the North Vancouver School District, I have some important information I would like to share to address and alleviate any concerns you may have.

This morning the school administration was notified of a threat to the health and well-being of the school community.  Following district protocols, our district Safe and Caring Schools team was notified and the RCMP were called. 

The RCMP determined, out of an abundance of caution, that it was necessary to evacuate the school.  Shortly thereafter it became apparent that substantial time would be needed for the RCMP to deploy their resources and conduct a thorough investigation of the building.  At 10:15am, it was decided that students would be released from school and classes would be cancelled for the remainder of the day.

To ensure the safe and timely transport of students away from the school, local public transportation was notified to run additional bus services throughout the Edgemont area, and staff assisted any students who required support with transportation home.

The RCMP has completed a thorough sweep of the building and have determined it is safe.  The safety of our students and staff remain our top priority and, as always, we take incidents such as these very seriously. I am appreciative of the assistance and support provided to us by the North Vancouver RCMP.

We look forward to all students attending school on Friday, June 15th and anticipate a return to the productive learning environment that is reflective of the Handsworth school experience. Individual teachers will connect with their classes to re-schedule any year-end assessments that were interrupted. All students are asked to report to Period 2 at 8:30am tomorrow morning to gather any belongings that were left behind in classes. We will resume the regular Day 2 rotation starting with Period 6 at 8:40am.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with regards to this incident. If you have any further questions or feel your child may require additional support in maintaining their sense of safety at school, please feel free to contact me by email at rsamra@sd44.ca

Sincerely,

Rupi Samra-Gynane, Principal

The Handsworth Community develops empowered, innovative, and compassionate learners who serve and lead with curiosity and integrity.