What’s changed at Saskatoon schools since the Evan Hardy arson attack?

People traumatized after a student lit another teen on fire spoke about the devastating impact of the attack during a sentencing hearing.

Saskatoon’s public school division says it’s tightening safety measures following the arson attack at Evan Hardy Collegiate.

On Sept. 5, 2024, a teen girl doused her classmate in gasoline and set her on fire. The victim suffered burns to 40 per cent of her body.

The offender, now 16, has been sentenced to three years for attempted murder.

Court heard she became obsessed with the victim and her best friend — contacting them through multiple phone numbers and social media accounts.

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The victim’s family and the parents of her best friend say they raised concerns with the school and police before the attack.

“The need for change is urgent,” the victim’s best friend’s mother told reporters outside court on Monday.

“Until this government and the school division divide proper attention and resources to understanding the frequency and magnitude of the violence in our schools. Events like this will continue.”

She said she works as an educational assistant and has been attacked with scissors in a classroom.

In the aftermath of the arson attack, Saskatoon Public Schools commissioned an independent review, which found gaps in threat assessment, discipline and communication.

The division says those findings have led to changes, including stronger safety planning, clearer discipline expectations and improved information-sharing.

There are also new procedures for handling safety concerns when school isn’t in session, along with additional training for principals and vice-principals to better assess violent risks.

An anonymous online reporting tool has also been launched, allowing students to report concerns including bullying, vandalism, self-harm and gang activity.

At Evan Hardy, additional counselling supports have been added, along with a full-time Restorative Action Program facilitator — a non-profit role focused on helping students resolve conflict and relationship issues.

The division says communication with staff and families has also increased.

Saskatoon police say officers are present in 104 schools across the city.