Students at Charles Hays Secondary School were briefly kept inside the building this morning after a security threat was received at approximately 10 a.m.
"We undertook a hold and secure, which is what we do when there may be a threat from outside the building. There was a potential incident and, after talking with the RCMP and our safe school coordinator, we determined we would go ahead with the hold and secure, which meant nobody was allowed in or out of the school. When the potential of the threat was complete we let everyone go on as normal," explained superintendent Sandra Jones, noting it is different than a lockdown situation.
"We want to ensure that we react in the safest way possible to ensure nobody is in harm's way, and in this case nobody was in harm's way."
While Jones wouldn't elaborate on the specifics of the threat, which remains under RCMP investigation, she said this morning's incident indicates the plans and procedures of the school district are effective.
"Our process for keeping the students safe worked," she said, noting there is one area that can be approved upon.
"The kids were texting their parents to let them know something was going on and the result was a lot of calls from concerned parents that kept the phones lines tied up. In a hold and secure, the process is the students shouldn't text so the phone lines are free and that is something we will be talking about."
Prince Rupert RCMP did not immediately return a request for comment from the Northern View. Look for more on this story as it becomes available.