Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

Background

1. It is the duty of any student or staff member who becomes aware of a threat against the Division students, staff, or property to notify the Principal.
    
2. A Threat/Risk Assessment Team shall be called together by the Principal when a threat has been received and/or directed towards student(s), staff, or property of the Division. The Principal will remain as the coordinator of this team. Each member will be responsible for gathering information and making initial assessments and recommendations based on the information that they obtain.
    
3. The purpose of the Threat Assessment Team will be to assess the risk posed by the identified threat. This risk may be deemed as low, medium, or high, depending on the circumstances. Immediate risk situations require immediate police involvement and intervention
    
4. The Threat Assessment Team shall include: the Principal, Vice-Principal, Family-School Liaison Counselor, Guidance Counselor, and other onsite administrative or teaching staff as predetermined by the school.
    
   1. Depending on the severity of the perceived behaviour, this team may be expanded to also include police officers, physicians, psychologists or psychiatrists, child welfare workers, mental health professionals, or criminal profilers.
       
5. It is anticipated that Threat/Risk Assessment Team activities will be guided by the process identified in the training package “Building Community Capacity for Risk/Threat Assessment and Crisis Response” developed by AMHB. The attention of the Threat Assessment Team is specifically directed to section #4 of that Document.
    
6. The Threat Assessment Team will attempt to obtain a cross-disciplinary consensus on actions required to maintain the safety and security of Division students, staff, and/or property. Where such a consensus is obtained, it is to be reported to the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services forthwith. Where consensus is not possible, the matter is to be referred back to the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services.
    
7. A Threat Assessment Team report shall be completed for every assessment.
   1. The report shall include a process for follow-up that, in the case of a medium or high-risk threat, includes a date and process for review by the Threat Assessment Team.
   2. Findings shall be shared with the parents of the person initiating the Threat/Risk.
   3. Names of other students shall be blocked out on the parent report.
   4. Where possible, the parents will be involved in and consulted with the making of intervention strategies.
   5. In cases of medium and high risk situations, a copy of the report shall be placed in the
      student record, with a copy forwarded to the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services.
       

Reference

Section 11, 33, 52, 53, 62, 196, 197, 222 Education Act

Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act

Emergency Medical Aid Act

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Public Health Act

Criminal Code (Canada)

Mental Health Regulations

Approved: June 10, 2004

Amended: June 22, 2005; August 21, 2018

Reviewed: July 2021