UPDATE: Niagara Catholic Secondary Schools in Hold and Secure

The board says a threat was made to an unidentified school

UPDATE 2: June 19, 4:47 PM

The board says it has received correspondence from Niagara Regional Police, saying there is no evidence suggesting the threat came from within Canada. 

Based on this information, the hold and secure will be lifted for all schools tomorrow. 

Police continue to investigate. 

UPDATE: June 19, 2:25 PM

Niagara Catholic says all schools remain in a hold and secure. 

Dismissal will take place as scheduled, and parents may see an increased police presence at some schools. 

More information will be posted as it's made available. 

Original Story - June 19, 12:06 PM

All Niagara Catholic secondary schools have been placed in a hold and secure. 

In a letter to parents, the Board says an unidentified person contacted the board this morning, and threatened an unidentified school. 

As a result, all secondary schools have been placed under a hold and secure while police investigate. 

The board says students are safe with their teachers and will be able to move freely throughout schools. 

Parents are being asked not to head to schools to pick up their kids. 

The board says more information will be sent directly to parents. 

Here is the full letter from the board: 

Dear Niagara Catholic secondary parents and guardians,

This morning, an unidentified individual contacted the Board with a threat to an unidentified Niagara Catholic school. 

The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff are our top priority. This information came when most secondary schools had a lunch period. Out of an abundance of caution, the Board placed all secondary schools into a temporary heightened state of security, followed by a hold and secure while police investigate. 

Students are safe with their teachers inside the school and will be able to move freely throughout the school during the hold and secure. We ask all parents to please not attend the school to pick up children. 

We also advise families that official information will come directly to families from Niagara Catholic through School Messenger. We will provide updates as information is available. 

Out of an abundance of caution, @niagaracatholic has placed a Hold and Secure on all schools in Niagara following an unverified threat.

Police are investigating and will have more information when possible

— NRPS (@NiagRegPolice) June 19, 2023