Rodent presence in Cawston elementary school portable moves classroom

Mice presence moves class

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Rumours that kids attending Grade 4 at Cawston Elementary School in the Similkameen have had to pick up mouse droppings have been denied by the school district.

Parents took to social media to express concern after they heard the children were given masks and made to clean up after the rodents.

School District No. 53 superintendent Marcus Toneatto said in an emailed statement to Castanet that while there has been a presence of mice in one of their portable classrooms, at no point were students required to pick up mouse droppings in the classroom.

"The Okanagan Similkameen school district and Cawston Elementary school administration and staff understand and take seriously the recent concerns regarding the presence of mice," he said.

The school has relocated the Grade 4 class at Cawston to a classroom inside the main building.

"Our district maintenance staff has implemented additional safeguards to prevent mice from entering the portable in the future. We are also conducting ongoing inspections to ensure that all our facilities in the district remain safe and secure," Toneatto said.

"The principal is working closely with students and parents to make the transition to the new classroom as smooth as possible. We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of our parent community as we address and resolve any concerns regarding this matter."

Rumours also circulated that with the move, and having to switch rooms, pack and unpack their things, supplies and student materials were getting lost and destroyed.

"We want to reassure parents that to our knowledge no supplies have been ruined," Toneatto said in response.

He added that the district is prioritizing the safety and well-being of all students and staff.