Violence and Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol

Sometimes children and youth faced with difficult situations and challenges they can’t resolve turn to high risk behavior which may put them and others at risk. To respond to the needs of these individuals – and to keep all our students safe – Pembina Hills Public Schools has taken the following steps:

● All school administrators have completed intensive safety training through the Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response.
● Our school division worked with Evergreen Catholic Schools, the RCMP, government agencies and local community partners to establish a Violence and Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) protocol which will guide our response to students who put themselves or others at risk.

According to this protocol, school administrators must complete a risk assessment any time a student presents a threat. This assessment will help us determine the level of risk and identify the supports the student may need. By way of this addition to our school handbook and website we are giving students and parents fair notice that our school will initiate a risk assessment when a student exhibits threatening behavior. While we will invite all parties to participate in the assessment process; if the threat maker or their parents/guardians choose not to participate, we will still proceed with the assessment. Providing students and staff with a safe and caring learning environment is our top priority. We are very grateful to our community partners for joining us in this effort. For more information about the VTRA protocol, please visit the Pembina Hills Public Schools website at www.phrd.ab.ca/VTRA.php.