Ontario school board says timing of lockdown at elementary school may have led to protocol breakdowns

The timing of telephone threats made to a Pickering elementary school last week that led to a hold and secure and, consequently, students allegedly being left unsupervised in a portable during the investigation may have led to a breakdown in protocol, the Durham District School Board has acknowledged.

The board has heard negative feedback from William Dunbar Public School parents about protocols during the incident, with Martine Robinson, the superintendent of education for the Pickering Family of Schools, saying the timing of the lockdown led to issues with implementing the safety protocols.

“The evolving nature of the situation, including the timing during the lunch period, resulted in variability in how procedures were experienced across the school environment,” she said.

“Clear, consistent implementation of emergency procedures is essential, and we recognize that additional work is needed to reinforce our shared understanding and practice at the school level.”

Robinson said the board will be working closely with school administration, staff, and students in the coming weeks to review the events, reinforce protocols, and provide additional training and support.

She added that the board takes parents’ feedback “seriously.”

Parents at the school are upset with how the school handled the lockdown after telephone threats were made on Jan. 27. According to parents, children were allegedly held in a portable for several hours with no supervision. The parents held a rally at the school on Monday morning to get some answers.

“The students were left unattended, with the doors unlocked. They were sitting in a corner with all the shutters closed and the lights turned off for almost three hours. This is extremely frustrating,” said one parent of a student who was in a portable.

Others also took to online forums to vent their frustration.

“I know that the administration needs to do a better job communicating and also acting on these threats as it’s been escalating since December,” added another parent.

Durham Police responded to the threats just before noon last Tuesday and the school was cleared before the order was lifted at approximately 2:20 p.m.

“When situations involve police-led investigations, there are limits to what the school and board can communicate while that work is ongoing. That said, we remain committed to sharing as much verified information as we can, as soon as we are able, and to communicate with families as this situation evolves,” said board spokesperson Tashlin Hirani.

“We have also acknowledged feedback from families and staff about how the procedures were experienced (and) are working closely with school administration to review the events, reinforce emergency protocols, and provide additional training and support to strengthen clarity and consistency.”

“We recognize that families have questions and concerns following recent incidents at William Dunbar Public School. As previously shared with families, the school acted immediately in response to a threatening phone call and worked closely with the Durham Regional Police Service. Police secured the scene, conducted a thorough search, and advised that there is no ongoing public safety risk to students or staff.”

Robinson said the board’s mental health and well-being, psychological services, and social work teams will be available for any students who need help processing the incident.

“We recognize that experiences such as this can affect students in different ways.”

Robinson also thanked staff for “professionalism and care” and the families for patience during what was a “challenging day” for everyone involved. “Situations like this are unsettling, and we remain committed to learning from this experience and strengthening our practices to support a safe, orderly, and supportive school environment.”