Parents Told How to Safeguard Children
The following letter was sent home with all students within the Upper Canada District School Board after recent reports of a van trying to pick up students in our jurisdiction:
February 17, 2012
Dear Parents/Guardians:
Over the past two weeks there have been three incidents of a man in a light-coloured van stopping to offer a ride to students with our Board and our co-terminus board. The incidents have happened in the Kemptville, Smiths Falls and Merrickville areas. In all three incidents, the suspect in the van is described as a white male, perhaps in his fifties.
None of our students were hurt in these incidents, which police are still investigating. However, out of an abundance of caution, we want you to be aware of these incidents so you can speak with your children and take appropriate actions to keep them safe.
Staff members at our schools continue to provide a safe learning environment for all students. They have been directed to carefully monitor the perimeter of playgrounds at our schools, parking lots and other areas where visiting adults may be able to access students.
At the same time, we ask that you have a talk with your child and review these simple safety rules for walking to and from school.
Here are some suggestions for parents to discuss with their children:
1) Teach your child to memorize important information: Have your child memorize important addresses such as their home address and important telephone numbers – their parents’ work numbers, home numbers, or a number of a trusted neighbour – and go over these on a regular basis so they know who they should call if they find themselves lost or in need of help.
2) Dial 911 – Instill in your children that 911 is the number to call if they feel they are in danger.
3) Talk about what a stranger is: Reinforce for your child that strangers come in all shapes and sizes – even those who act friendly. For younger children, start by telling them who is not a stranger first, and then explain that everyone else is.
4) Tell your child what to do if a car approaches: Tell your child that adults rarely go to a child to ask for directions or to help them. Teach them never to approach a stranger’s car and to move away from a car that pulls up beside them. If they think they are being followed, they should run to the nearest store to ask a cashier for help or to another public place, such as a postal office, to seek assistance. Talk to your child and share a “secret password” with them. This password should be used any time that you cannot meet your child when agreed upon. If a stranger seeks to tell your children that “their mom asked him to pick them up” the children can ask for the password to assure themselves the request is legitimate.\
5) If a stranger attempts to abduct a child: Teach your child that if a stranger ever attempts to grab them against their will, they should drop to the ground and throw a tantrum: kick, bite and scratch, scream, scatter their books and repeatedly yell “This is not my mother/father” to get noticed.
6) Tell your child to report any such incidents to their parents and then ask them to tell their parents to notify police.
If there is further information that needs to be shared with families, we’ll send it out as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your continued support of your child’s education.
Sincerely,
David Coombs
Superintendent
Upper Canada District School Board
613-258-9393