SD59 (Peace River South) is committed to creating and maintaining school environments in which students, staff, parents/guardians/caregivers and others feel safe. Schools cannot ignore any threat of violence. What is a threat?
- An expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something.
- May be verbal, written, drawn. Posted on the internet or made by gesture. Duty to report
• To keep school communities safe and caring, staff, parents/guardians/caregivers, students and community members must report all threat-related behaviours to the school principal. What is the purpose of a Student Threat Assessment?
- The purposes of a student threat assessment are:
- Ensure and promote the emotional and physical safety of students,staff, parents, the student making the threat, and others.
- Ensure a full understanding of the context of the threat.
- Understand the factors contributing to the threat maker’sbehaviour.
- Be proactive in developing an intervention plan that addresses theemotional and physical safety of the threat maker.
- Promote the emotional and physical safety of all. What behaviours warrant a Student Violence Threat Risk Assessment to be initiated?
- A student threat assessment will be initiated for behaviours including, but not limited to:
- Serious violence with intent to harm or kill.
- Verbal/written threats to harm/kill others (clear, direct, andplausible).
- Online threats to harm/kill others.
- Possession of weapons (including replicas).
- Bomb threats (making and/or detonating explosive devices).
- Fire Starting.
- Sexual intimidation or assault.
- Gang related intimidation and violence.
- What Parents and Students Need to Know
- Any threat must be reported tothe school principal
- Investigation may involve the\school counselor, the police, orother community agencies.
- Investigation may involve lockeror personal property searches.
- Interviews will be held with thethreat maker and other students or adults who may have information about the threat.
- Parents of students who are directly involved will be notified.
- Threatening behaviour may result in disciplinary action.
- An intervention plan may be developed for the student making the threat and a support plan developed for any individuals targeted by the threats.
- It is important for all parties to engage in the process. However, if for some reason there is a reluctance to participate in the process by the threat maker or parent / guardian, the VTRA process will continue in order to promote a safe and caring learning environment.
- Collection Notice The school district is subject to the personal information privacy laws, and will undertake the collection of this information in compliance with the requirements of such laws, including by limiting collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk or threat and by ensuring that information is collected from publicly available open source social media sites. The School District will not collect information as part of threat assessment unless there is reason to believe that a risk exists. Information collected as part of ta threat assessment may be provided to law enforcement authorities in appropriate circumstances.
