School board ends investigation at Rockwood elementary school

The Upper Grand District School Board has ended an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior at Harris Mill Public School.

The school board began looking into safety concerns after allegations of inappropriate behavior.

On Monday, the school board issued a statement saying no further investigation is needed.

“We are aware that there continues to be concerns and speculation regarding a concern around student behaviour in one of our schools,” the statement said. “We wish to alleviate those concerns and speculation. The Upper Grand District School Board has investigated this matter and has determined that there will be no further investigation at this time.”

The school board has not said what prompted the investigation, or what actions, if any, were taken to address the alleged inappropriate behavior.

“In all circumstances where there is a concern that involves students' safety, staff follow all required procedures and work with our community partners to fulfill our commitment to students and families,” the board said. “We continue to prioritize student safety and support while maintaining the dignity and privacy of our students.”

The statement comes days after the school’s principal sent a letter to parents saying school officials had been “made aware of conversations in the broader community related to safety concerns for students during visits to the washroom.”

The letter, sent Friday, did not specify what those concerns were, but the alleged incident involved students not staff members.

“We know and understand that these conversations raise significant concerns for parents and open the door to lots of questions and speculation. I can assure you that the staff at Harris Mill have taken these concerns very seriously and have followed all procedures, including reporting to family and children's services and working with parents of any students involved,” the letter read.

Some parents of children at Harris Mill Public School, who did not want to be identified, told CTV News Kitchener the alleged incidents happened in late January, and they are disappointed with how the school has handled the situation.

The parents said they wished the school had notified all parents earlier, so they could have had appropriate conversations with their children.

In a statement, Family and Children Services of Guelph-Wellington said due to confidentiality, it’s not able to comment on whether it’s involved in this specific situation but said in part: “We take all referrals and calls about possible harm to children and youth seriously… We provide follow up and support as required and our priority is the safety and well-being of children and youth. We work closely with community partners, and assessments and investigations are informed by interviews and information from many sources.”

Ontario Provincial Police said they have been involved with an incident reported at a Rockwood school, but would not comment on which school.

The school board is asking parents to reach out to Family and Child Services if their child experience anything inappropriate.