School District 73 says its review of the Nov. 6 NorKam Secondary lockdown has already led to changes in emergency communications, while the district also continues to address vandalism issues at another secondary school and repair work at Westmount Elementary following a fire now believed to be arson.

Interim Superintendent Mike McKay spoke about all three issues at Tuesday night’s board meeting and again today during a news conference introducing incoming Superintendent Mike St. John.

NorKam Lockdown: New Details on Lessons Learned

The Nov. 6 lockdown at NorKam Secondary—triggered by a prank 911 call reporting a gun in the school—prompted a significant RCMP response and a full lockdown. Police later determined the call came from an unattended phone inside the building, identifying a suspect and confirming no weapon was ever present.

At the board meeting, McKay praised staff: “Very quickly appreciation for the staff, the administration of the school, who responded remarkably well,” he said, noting the school and district followed procedures “with all the seriousness” required when a potential weapon is reported.

He said additional counselling resources were immediately brought in to support students, parents, and staff.

At a Tuesday new news conference to introduce new Supt. Mike St. John, McKay elaborated on the district’s internal review, which included joint debriefings with RCMP and Kamloops Fire Rescue.

He acknowledged a “communication lag” during the lockdown—one of the biggest concerns raised by families.“We are pretty much bound not to be out in front of the RCMP… but we will adjust our processes,” McKay said. “Even in the interim, if we can’t say much, we’ll say something.”

He said the district’s Safe Schools team and communications staff will ensure parents receive verified interim updates in future emergency situations.

McKay also stressed that false threats have significant ripple effects. “These things don’t need to happen. They shouldn’t happen… When RCMP are dealing with something like this as a real threat, there are a whole lot of other calls they can’t address.”

Vandalism in Gender-Neutral Washrooms

McKay also addressed recurring vandalism in gender-neutral washrooms at one of the district’s secondary schools. The washrooms, redesigned with shared handwashing stations outside the stalls, have seen ongoing misuse and damage. “For anyone at that particular school, this is their community. We don’t do that inside our communities,” he said, urging students to take pride in shared spaces.

District and school administrators are reviewing supervision and potential fixes to prevent further damage.

Westmount Elementary Fire: Arson Likely, Remediation Underway

McKay also provided an update on Westmount Elementary, which has been closed since an early-morning fire on Oct. 26 heavily damaged parts of the school. RCMP believe the fire was deliberately set, with investigators saying someone appears to have been on the school’s roof when the flames broke out. The fire damaged a ventilation system and roof structures, forcing the school to close for “several weeks.”

Westmount’s students were temporarily redistributed to neighbouring schools while the district assesses the full scope of repairs.

Today, McKay said asbestos was detected as part of the post-fire evaluation—slowing down the restoration process because of required safety protocols. “As soon as asbestos is identified anywhere… that requires a number of additional steps,” he said.

He confirmed cleanup in the library—the main affected area—is underway, and contracts for additional remediation work are being issued. Air-quality testing and materials assessments are nearing completion.

But he cautioned that the district cannot commit to a reopening date. “We ’re not going to make a promise about a date because there are too many variables,” McKay said. “We can’t take any risks around contaminants that could have long-term health impacts.”

He thanked families, staff, and the PAC executive for their patience, saying the district will continue providing regular updates through the school.