'Undesirable behaviour' prompts increased security at Penticton elementary school

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A Penticton elementary school has opted to begin locking its doors during instructional time due to an uptick in “undesirable behaviour” in the area.

Carmi Elementary will now have its exterior doors locked due to an increase in vandalism and “garbage left behind on school grounds after school hours that can at times present a safety concern,” according to School District 67 superintendent Todd Manuel.

“With that in mind, our principal is working with community partners and district facilities team members to ensure that school grounds are safe throughout the day,” he continued.

“Our goal is to always make sure that students, staff and families are feeling safe at school.”

According to an email circulated to parents, Carmi Elementary principal Jennifer Wingham says doors will be locked after 9:30 a.m. and will reopen from 2:20 p.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Scheduled visitors will be greeted at the doors by administration staff, while members of the public, including parents and students, who need to access the school while the doors are locked, will be required to use a doorbell that has been installed.

“If you are dropping off your child after 9:30 a.m., please make sure they are getting into the building and do not just assume the door will be open,” the email to parents from Wingham said.

Wingham also said students will be spoken to about the new measures.

Safe arrival to school procedures are in place at all schools within the district, explained Manuel, adding students will continue to be educated on “communicating any concerns they may have to adults.”

“The Carmi parent community is very supportive and has great communication with the principal regarding any concerns they may have and understand this is a proactive measure at this time,” Manuel said, noting that Carmi is, at the moment, the only school within the district to begin locking its doors.

Penticton RCMP spokesperson Cst. James Grandy said while he cannot speak on behalf of Carmi Elementary School, there has “been an increase in the amount of foot traffic from unhoused individuals who feel comfortable around that area.”

“However, I am not aware of any particular incident which would have led to the staff locking their doors,” he added.

Mother of three Jodi Maher, whose children attend Carmi and are in kindergarten, Grade 2 and Grade 4, said she was infuriated when she received the email and learned that the “school, the teachers and the children that attend (Carmi) are put in this circumstance.”

“The faculty at Carmi Elementary are absolutely amazing and doing the best that they can to keep our children safe,” she said. “It is without a doubt unacceptable that people with addictions are doing drugs on the property.”

She said it's her understanding that paraphernalia has been found “on several occasions,” as well as used condoms and tampons.

“I personally have come across people hanging out at the playground … off school hours, when I took my children there to play,” she said, noting she has seen bags with what she believed may have been drugs left on the ground.

“I am in full support of helping those in need in our community and have worked with gathering donations for the shelters for the last seven years, but when it starts to infringe on the safety of young, innocent children ... I have a problem with that.”

Maher added she is interested in hearing what the “new mayor and city council has to say will be done to keep our kids safe.”

“Enough is enough,” she said, adding that the “system is … broken and does not work (and) that everything about it needs to change.”

Superintendent Manuel noted it’s “important to emphasize that this protocol is a temporary measure that is being put in place as a proactive approach and will continue to be reviewed by the principal and the school community throughout the school year.”

“Carmi staff work very hard to ensure a safe, calm and caring learning environment, and we would like the community to know that Carmi is a fantastic school and a safe place to learn," he said.