Late yesterday afternoon, the RCMP released a statement regarding the incident that occurred at Sexsmith Secondary School (SSS) on Friday, June 5, 2026. It is important to note that at no time was there an imminent threat to the safety of our students or staff.
Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD) and the staff at SSS continue to work with the RCMP as they lead this investigation, and are following the Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) protocol that we enacted on Friday. The Division is strictly bound by privacy legislation, and must not interfere with an ongoing RCMP investigation; therefore, we are unable to share specific personal details. As part of our standard safety protocols, if a specific student is ever identified as being at risk or targeted, we would reach out to the family to provide them with that information.
While there is no active threat, we are maintaining a proactive, highly cautious approach to ensure our buildings remain secure. As an added precaution, and to help provide reassurance to all students, families and the broader community of Sexsmith, exterior doors at both SSS and Robert W. Zahara School will remain locked during the day for the remainder of the current school year. This protocol will be formally reassessed in August before the next school year begins.
We understand that some families may feel hesitant or anxious about sending their children to school. Please be assured that as we continue with normal operations, our schools are secure and open for learning for the remainder of the school year.
We believe the best place for our students to be is in their classrooms, surrounded by their peers and supportive staff. We understand that news of this nature can cause high levels of anxiety or worry. To ensure our school community feels supported as we move forward, counsellors will be at the high school all week should any student require extra support. Please encourage your child to reach out to a staff member if they need a safe space to talk or process their feelings.
Additional updates may be provided if there is new information to share. We ask for your continued help in refraining from sharing unverified information online. If you or your child have pertinent details regarding any aspect of this situation, please reach out to the RCMP or school administration.
We appreciate the support from the RCMP, and thank you for your ongoing cooperation, trust, and partnership as we work together to keep our school communities safe.
Peace Wapiti Public School Division