Critical Incidents | Sooke School District

The safety of students and staff is always of the highest importance to the Sooke School District.

Drop, Cover and Hold – Used in the event of an earthquake, explosion, or any event that shakes the school.

Hold and Secure – Used when there is a security concern, such as a police incident in the neighbourhood of the school. Exterior doors of the school are locked and normal duties continue inside the school.

Lockdown – Used to prevent intruders from entering occupied areas of the school, or in times when it is necessary to isolate students and staff from a danger outside or within the building. All exterior and interior doors are locked, blinds and windows closed, lights turned off and normal activity stops.

Shelter in Place – Used as a short-term measure to protect students and staff from potential dangers outside the school (e.g. environmental weather-related emergencies, dangerous wild animals on school grounds, or a missing child).

Evacuate – Used to move people out of the school when a hazard exists inside. May include floods, potential fire, or a bomb threat.

Room Clear – Used to move people away from a hazard contained in one room/area.
When a critical incident occures, the school district works with the school and (in cases where they are present) first responders on the scene to get an accurate sense of the event.

Once this information is secured and verified, the school district then shares with parents/guardians all details that are approved for release.* Typically, information is posted in the following order:
- Direct message to parents/guardians via email and possibly phone message;
- A post to the school website;
- A post to the school district website (as appropriate);
- A post on social media channels (Twitter, Facebook).
In many cases, the event is brief and the all-clear is given before the school district is able to post notice. In such cases, notification is likely to be limited to direct communication through the parent portal and/or a post to social media.

* The school district is often limited in the amount of information it is able to share publicly. This is particularly true in cases related to police investigations or in situations where the school district must consider its legal obligations to protect student privacy. In such circumstances, the school district will share all information that has been approved for public release.
The Sooke School District takes violence and threats of violence very seriously. As such, the district provides parents/guardians with Fair Notice about its Risk Assessment procedures.

What behaviours warrant a threat assessment to be initiated?

A threat assessment will be initiated for behaviours including, but not limited to, serious violence or violence with intent to harm or kill, verbal/written threats to harm or kill others, online threats to harm or kill others, possession of weapons (including replicas), bomb threats (making and/or detonating explosive devices), fire setting, sexual intimidation, or assault and gang-related intimidation and violence.

Duty to report

To keep school communities safe and caring, staff, parents/guardians and caregivers, students, and community members must report all threat-related behaviours.

What is a threat?

A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something. Threats may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the Internet, or made by gesture. Threats must be taken seriously, investigated, and responded to.

What is a Threat Assessment Team?

Each school has a Threat Assessment Team. The team may include the principal, teachers, counsellor(s), and a member of the local police agency.

What is the purpose of a threat assessment?

The purposes of a threat assessment are:

• To ensure the safety of students, staff, parents/guardians and caregivers, and others.

• To ensure a full understanding of the context of the threat.

• To understand factors contributing to the subject of concern’s (SOC’s) behaviour.

• To be proactive in developing an intervention plan that addresses the emotional and physical safety of the SOC.

• To promote the emotional and physical safety of all.

What happens in a threat assessment?

All threat-related behaviour shall be reported to the principal, who will activate the protocol for the initial response. Once the team has been activated, interviews may be held with the student(s), the SOC, parents, and staff to determine the level of risk and develop an appropriate response to the incident. Intervention plans will be developed and shared with parents, staff, and students as required.

Can I refuse to participate in a threat assessment process?

It is important for all parties to engage in the process. However, if the SOC or parent/guardian/caregiver is reluctant to participate, the threat assessment process will continue, in order to promote a safe and caring learning environment.

Collection Notice

Schools and school districts are subject to personal information privacy laws and will undertake the collection of information in compliance with the requirements of such laws. This will include limiting the collection to information that is relevant and necessary to address a risk or threat and ensuring that information collected from an online source is only obtained from open-source sites. Schools and school districts will not collect information as part of a threat assessment unless there is reason to believe that a risk exists. Information collected as part of a threat assessment may be provided to police agencies in appropriate circumstances. Information collected will be retained and handled within current records management procedures and guidelines.