EDMONTON -- Parents of students of a south Edmonton elementary school are being warned about two separate incidents of attempted child luring over the last two weeks. The most recent one happened Thursday morning.
A suspicious man was reportedly hanging around near Steinhauer School the morning of Feb. 4, EPS spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout told CTV News Edmonton.
The man entered the building at the same time as a girl who attends the school, and tried to get her to leave with him, police said.
The girl told her parents, who contacted police.
Police were once again called to the same school for a second report of a suspicious man on school grounds Thursday morning.
A girl noticed the unknown man outside her school's doors and reported it.
Voordenhout says the EPS Canine unit tried to track the man down, but were unsuccessful.
EDMONTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REACTION
Megan Normandeau, communications consultant with Edmonton Public Schools, confirmed to CTV News Edmonton that on two occasions an unknown individual approached students of Steinhauer School and asked them to leave school grounds with them.
"Our students did the right thing," said Normandeau. "They informed a trusted adult and once the school was made aware, in both instances they contacted police right away."
The elementary school's principal, Lori Price-Wagner, sent a note to parents after the latest incident to inform them of the steps the school has been taking and to invite them to a video meeting which happened Thursday night.
That meeting saw over 70 families log in, according to Normandeau.
"I want you to know that we take the incident today, and the one that happened last week, very seriously," Price-Wagner said in the letter.
Normandeau says both incidents happened during the morning drop-off.
"In both cases the school did inform the school community and families right away," said Normandeau. "They've increased outdoor supervision during that morning drop-off and afternoon period. They've also consulted with our division security team, who will also be on site next week during the morning drop-off."
Parents have been advised not to drop their kids off at school any earlier than 8:12 a.m., when morning supervision begins.
"Our schools recognize, our division recognizes this is a very concerning incident and something that we take very seriously in our schools. Student safety is our top priority while they're in the building and while they're outside our building."
Edmonton police are investigating the two incidents. They say it's unknown if the occurrences are related.
