A school in High River, roughly 40 kilometres south of Calgary, was evacuated Tuesday after a bomb threat triggered a police investigation.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported a heavy police presence at Notre Dame Collegiate while officers began searching the building.
School officials quickly evacuated students and staff as a precaution. Everyone was safely moved to the nearby Highwood Golf Course while police conducted a thorough search of the campus.
Students and staff evacuated as police respond
Administrators at the school contacted police shortly after the threat was reported. As a precaution, staff organized a full evacuation to ensure students were away from the building while officers investigated.
Notre Dame Collegiate serves students in Grades 7 through 12 and is part of the Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools division.
School officials said all students and staff remained safe and supervised during the evacuation. Students who normally take the bus were later transported home after the situation unfolded.
Students describe confusion during evacuation
Some students said they were initially told the evacuation was a fire drill before learning that police were responding to a possible bomb threat.
The evacuation caused confusion at first, but students were quickly directed to the nearby golf course where they waited while officers searched the school.
School officials later acknowledged incidents like this can be unsettling and said staff would be available to support students and families who may have concerns.
Investigation ongoing
RCMP officers continued searching the school building through the afternoon as part of the investigation.
High River is located about 40 kilometres south of Calgary in southern Alberta and is home to roughly 15,000 residents.
Police have not said whether the threat was considered credible, and no injuries were reported.
