East-end elementary school evacuated following threat

An elementary school in Windsor’s east end was evacuated for about two hours on Wednesday morning due to investigation of what police have described as an “unsubstantiated threat.”

All students and staff of St. John Vianney Catholic Elementary School at 8405 Cedarview St. were moved out of the building and into a church across the street.

The Windsor-essex Catholic District School Board notified parents at 8:20 a.m.

The school board did not give details about what it described as “a situation,” and said the students and staff were moved as a precaution.

“Children are being supervised at the church and are safe there,” board spokesman Stephen Fields wrote in a message to parents.

“There is no need for parents to go to the church to pick up their children.”

Despite the message, many parents went to St. John Vianney Parish to collect their kids.

Around 10:20 a.m., the board sent another message informing parents that it was safe for students to re-enter the school.

“We want to reassure you that your children were kept safe and well supervised at the church throughout the duration of this morning ’s incident,” wrote Fields.

Fields said Windsor police would continue to investigate, and patrol officers would be giving “special attention” to the area for the rest of the day.

St. John Vianney Catholic Elementary School serves students from junior kindergarten to Grade 8.

Its enrolment is about 620.

DAX MELMER Parents pick up their children from St. John Vianney Parish Wednesday as students from St. John Vianney school were evacuated in response to what Windsor police called “an unsubstantiated threat.”