Students at École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge were sent home early on Tuesday, Oct. 7 due to the death of an employee at the school that day.

The school confirmed the death, which occurred earlier in the morning, in an email circulated to parents on Tuesday afternoon. 

“It is with great sadness that we are informing you that an employee has died earlier today at l’École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge,” stated the email, sent out at 1 p.m. 

Students were bussed home, and parents advised to come pick up their children due to what the school called an “exceptional situation.” 

“We would like to assure you that neither students nor staff are in danger,” read the email.  

Centre de services scolaire des Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais communications person Monia Lirette said the service centre could not share any information about what position the employee held, or the cause of death.

In an email to parents on Wednesday morning, school principal Julie Martin said a youth support team from CISSSO would be at the school that day to talk with students and help staff answer their questions, as well as senior management, human resources, and educational services staff to support school employees.