Keenooshayo grapples with shooting news

Staff and students at Keenooshayo School struggled this week with the news that their school’s cop had been shot.

Cst. David Matthew Wynn is one of the 10 officers who teaches the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in St. Albert, said St. Albert RCMP Cst. M.J. Burrows.

Wynn and Cpl. Laurel Kading teach the program at Keenooshayo.

Wynn was hospitalized last weekend after being shot in the head while making an arrest at the Apex Casino in St. Albert. He is not expected to survive.

Wynn has worked as a liaison officer at Keenooshayo for about five years, said public school board spokesperson Paula Power. His job is to help students get used to the police by talking to them, walking the halls, and taking part in special events such as Remembrance Day.

“He serves very much as a positive role model for these students.”

A team of councillors, psychologists and therapy dogs was at the school Monday and will be there as long as they are needed, Power said. Keenooshayo families will get letters this week on how to spot signs of distress in their kids.

“I think everyone is still in shock by the brutal senselessness of what happened.”

The Sturgeon, Catholic and public boards all pool their resources whenever a traumatic event like this occurs, said Thomas Holmes, systems psychologist with the Sturgeon School Division.

It’s to be expected that staff, parents and students at Keenooshayo would be going through some emotional turmoil right now, he continued.

“This officer created real relationships with people in this community,” he said.

“That’s one of the reasons why people are upset right now … He was an important member of the community, and it’s going to be a real challenge for the community to manage this.”

Traumatic events like this one affect people in different ways, Holmes said. Some might be anxious for more information – information that might be limited in these circumstances. Others may feel more anxious and alert, thinking that their world isn’t as safe as it could be. Many become more withdrawn.

Holmes said parents should watch for big changes in behaviour in their children at this time as an indicator of stress. Changes can include a sudden disinterest in a favourite activity, a shift in diet, and a loss of sleep.

“When we’re having a difficult time managing emotions, we change some of our behaviours and sometimes that behaviour isn’t as healthy as it should be,” Holmes said.

Keep up the daily exercise, eat properly, go to bed on time and turn off those electronics an hour before you sleep, Holmes said.

“Those are healthy ways of dealing with difficult emotional times.”

Surround your kids with supportive people and help them maintain a healthy routine, he continued. Show them how to manage their emotions mentally by focusing on positive memories of Wynn and physically by focusing on their breathing.

“Those same strategies are really useful for adults,” he noted, many of whom are often just as much at a loss as the kids.

In addition to reaching out to friends and family, Holmes encouraged people to seek expert help if needed. School councillors are always available to talk, as are family doctors. You can also schedule an appointment with the addiction and mental health community clinic at the St. Albert Provincial Building (the place with the big clock next to Grandin mall) or the many private psychologists in the area.

This incident affects everyone in the school community, Holmes said.

“Our communities are interconnected, and we certainly wish all the best to staff and students in our sister organization, and we’re here to help.”

Staffers at Keenooshayo were unavailable for an interview as of Tuesday.

Kading was out of the office and could not be reached.