Following the tragic mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary last week, the school district has announced that students will not be returning to the building anytime soon.
During the incident, six of the eight victims and the shooter were found in the school building, prompting the evacuation of approximately 100 individuals, including injured parties, students, and staff.
The BC RCMP recently confirmed the completion of their investigation at the site, enabling the school to be handed back to the district.
However, Superintendent Christy Fennell revealed that School District No. 59 has no immediate plans to resume classes at the current high school location. Instead, the focus is on prioritizing the emotional and physical well-being of students through a trauma-informed approach.
In a letter addressed to families, Fennell acknowledged that while some may desire the normalcy of returning to school routines, others may not be emotionally prepared for such a move.
BC Premier David Eby echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that students will not be compelled to return to the affected site.
The school district underlined the importance of ongoing discussions about healthy coping strategies with children and reminded residents about the support services available at the recreation centre, which operates daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.