Image Credit: SUBMITTED/School District 23
February 27, 2023 - 10:20 AM
The students of South Kelowna Elementary get to stay home today because a raccoon wanted to go to school.
School was closed first thing this morning, Feb. 27, and shortly after noon School District 23 informed the public that the raccoon has been returned to the wild.
"Operations staff were able to gently guide the raccoon out of the ceiling space and out the open back door just before lunch today," according to the update.
The ceiling tiles are being replaced and the school will be thoroughly cleaned before learning resumes tomorrow.
The raccoon was first discovered by a school staffer, so families were asked to keep children home “out of an abundance of caution," according to a media release from earlier today.
Before successfully guiding the raccoon out of the school, conservation officers tried to trap it and force it to leave the school but the wild animal got up between the ceiling and ceiling tiles.
“Due to the risk posed to staff and students if the wild animal felt cornered, staff took steps to keep people and the animal safe,” the release said.
Parents who didn’t get the notice and had kids show up at the closed school were bused to Canyon Falls Middle School for alternative programming.
— Story updated at 1:42 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, to say the raccoon had been removed from the school.
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