All schools in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith District went into ‘hold & secure’ mode Thursday morning (Nov. 12) in response to an ‘unspecified’ threat, posted on the Internet.
Dale Burgos, SD68 communications director confirmed the schools - including Ladysmith Secondary, Ladysmith Primary and Ladysmith Elementary – were all instructed to implement the ‘hold & secure’ protocol.
In a hold & secure situation outside doors are locked and no-one is allowed to enter or leave the building, but classes and other routines continue.
RCMP also respond and were present at schools, including LSS.
Burgos confirmed after the hold & secure measures were lifted, at about 10:20 a.m., that staff at some schools, including LSS, were not clear on the level of security to be implemented.
Some staff at some schools went into full lockdown mode, which means students are confined to classrooms with the doors locked.
Cst. Gary O’Brien, media relations officer with the Nanaimo RCMP, confirmed there was no higher level of risk at any school site in the district.