While police were dealing with a man barricaded in his home and possibly armed, children were barricaded in their classrooms at Brentwood Park Elementary and Holy Cross Elementary on Monday.
The drama started around noon, on Dec. 5, when police responded to a call about a distressed man, possibly with a weapon, who had shut himself in a home on Delta Avenue, near Brentwood Town Centre.
As a precautionary measure, police called for the two nearby schools to go into lockdown mode.
"We received contact from the RCMP that there was a lockdown. The threat was coming from the community and had nothing to do with the school," said Gina Niccoli-Moen, an assistant superintendent for the Burnaby school district.
Once the lockdown call came in, staff and students followed procedures they have rehearsed in drills. Students gathered in classrooms with their teachers, the doors were locked, and the blinds were drawn.
"This was truly an exercise in communication," Niccoli-Moen said. "Communication was absolutely key. The RCMP was fabulous in keeping the school district informed."
Classes continued, but there was no recess. Students were told it was a lockdown, depending on the age level.
"The kids behaved impeccably," said Niccoli-Moen. "They had been used to having the drill, so they knew exactly what to do."
Meanwhile, the school district was sending out email to parents, informing of the situation and updating them as needed.
The district set up a "communication centre" at Alpha Secondary, where parents were supposed to go if the situation continued after classes, but the lockdown was lifted at 3 p.m., just 15 minutes after school was out for the day.
"The kids had an absolute regular day," said Niccoli-Moen. "Once it was determined they were in the building, kids just carried on and had a regular day."
Niccoli-Moen said parents were very positive and there was no danger to the school.
"Certainly, we will debrief the families as we are sure children will have questions," she said.
Meanwhile, Holy Cross
Elementary, an independent Catholic school, was following the same procedures. Holy Cross was on the edge of the area cordoned off by police.
Principal Dino Alberti said the school sent out emails to parents and the staff and students stayed in their classroom with the doors locked.
"We have lockdown procedures in our school that we have in place," Alberti said. "It was a good opportunity for us to put them into plan."
The lockdown ended about 10 minutes after school was out, so parents were able to take their kids home.
