Dear NPSC parents, guardians, students, and community, 

The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (NPSC) is aware of a video and false allegations that have recently been circulating online involving St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School (SJSH).  We have been working collaboratively with the North Bay Police Service (NBPS), who have reviewed the video in question, confirmed that no police investigation is warranted, and consider the matter fully addressed. 

While the NBPS has supported NPSC in the execution of its investigative processes and procedures, the unfounded allegation has continued to gain attention in our NPSC school community and the media. 

We understand that the serious nature of the allegation has elicited much concern in our school community. However, given the results of the NBPS and school’s collaborative investigation into the matter, which determined the allegation to be false, it is paramount that we now address the poignantly harmful effects of disinformation and its propagation. 

The digital world has provided us with the ability to share information more broadly and rapidly than ever before. For this reason, when we come across information online – especially information that we consider alarming – we must remember to engage in efforts to verify its validity. Taking the time to fact-check information can make a world of difference, especially in situations where allegations are discovered to be disinformation. 

According to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and their document published by the Government of Canada, “disinformation refers to false information that is intended to manipulate, cause damage, or guide people, organizations, and countries in the wrong direction.” 

When evaluating information shared online, we encourage you to take the time to review sources and their messaging. When doing this, ask yourself the following guiding questions: 

Although an affirmative response to one of the above questions does not certify that you have come across disinformation, it does suggest that you should conduct further research before drawing a conclusion. 

To help us become more vigilant and critical about the information we discover and respond to in online forums, we invite you to consult, in full, the government resource, How to identify misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. 

 We also offer a reminder that all inappropriate use of social media – including the creation and spread of disinformation – will be investigated according to our Safe Schools policies and procedures. In all cases, individuals determined to be responsible for such actions will be subject to disciplinary measures as outlined in our policies. 

To support responsible online conduct, we additionally welcome you to review the following policies and guidelines of St. Joseph-Scollard Hall, the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops:  

We humbly ask you to stand alongside us in our shared responsibility of ensuring the safety of our students, staff members, and broader community – contributing to an inclusive, supportive, and positive school and learning environment that reflects our Catholic values. 

With this in mind, we urge our community to refrain from engaging in the spread of harmful disinformation, and instead advocate for a healthy online environment that serves the common good and promotes the dignity of the human person. 

We understand that this has been a heightened time of concern for many – for our school community as a whole – and pray that you may find comfort in knowing that all safety concerns that arise in our school community are treated with the utmost care and attention. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the SJSH Administration Team at 705-494-8600.  

We thank you for your patience, support, and understanding, as well as the opportunity to address these concerns.  It is through our collaborative efforts as Catholic school community partners that we keep the well-being of our NPSC schools and board family at the heart of all decisions.  

Sincerely, 

Paula Mann  Director of Education