School District 43 (SD43) says workers have done a good job clearing paths around schools in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore after a significant snowstorm blanketed the region on Tuesday (Nov. 29).
And while children are enjoying the white stuff in their school fields, parents aren't so happy, especially when their youngster slips and falls.
That's what happened to one student who attends Minnekhada Middle School in Port Coquitlam.
The parents, who asked that their names be withheld, said their boy possibly sprained a thumb while walking along a path on school grounds.
"This morning I was dropping off my children to school, while I was driving up to the drop off area, the van slid, yes, the grounds were slippery. This was at 8:45 a.m.," the parent stated in an email.
Both children fell on ice at the school
The mother said two of her children slipped and fell on some ice in the front of Minnekhada Middle and hurt themselves.
"One of our kids injured his hand and has been icing his hand for a couple of days," she said, belieiving more should be done about clearing paths of ice before students showed up for class.
"Why are the school grounds not being taken care of to ensure the safety of staff and students in SD43?"
However, district spokesperson Ken Hoff said the paths at Minnekhada have been cleared.
"Pathways to Minnekhada have been cleared to access the school from all directions and around the building perimeter. There are still ice patches on the property, but the paths provide clear passage to all doors."
Be cautious to and from school
He said there were no reports of injuries at the school.
However, the parent said first aid wasn't done to help her boy until her husband emailed the school directly.
SD43 has 70 facilities and spends about $1 million on snow clearing each year.
According to Hoff, crews have worked dilligently to clear paths around schools.
"District crews have worked hard to clear snow and salt paths and sidewalks (even before the snow fell) within the SD43 Snow Plan which prioritizes actions to be taken by crews in the event of extreme weather."
He added school principals also provided early communication to families to be cautious when travelling to and from school.
Chilly temperatures are expected to continue into next week, according to Environment Canada, with temperatures ranging from a high of 1 C to a low of -3 C through Sunday (Dec. 4).
