March 31, 2022

On Wednesday, March 30, 2022, St. Albert Public Schools received notification that a staff member has been charged with five criminal charges, including sexual exploitation of a student.

We were made aware of allegations in mid-February, which immediately launched an internal investigation. At that time, this individual was removed from the high school and was directed not to have contact with any individuals associated with St. Albert Public Schools.

The wellbeing of our students is, and has always been, our number one priority. The trust our families place in us when sending their children to school is also of utmost importance to us. Allegations of this kind affect our students, their families, our staff and our whole community as we are faced with this unimaginable breach of all that we value.

We know there will be many questions and much confusion and emotion when our students and staff return from spring break. On Monday, April 4, we will have supports available for them, not only at the affected school but across the division. We urge parents and students to reach out to their school administration if they need assistance in working through this.

As always, and as we move forward, our decision making is guided by our commitment to student safety, respect for the privacy of the individuals involved, our responsibilities under the Education Act, and the legal process. We sincerely appreciate the ongoing relationship we have with the RCMP and their role in helping keep our students safe.

All details about the criminal investigation rest with the RCMP. You can read their media release here. As this is an ongoing criminal investigation, we are not able to provide any further information at this time.

As we all process this unthinkable news, we will continue to support each other and most importantly, our reason for being: our students. They are at the heart of all that we do.