Former Chief Justice David Jenkins delivered his independent report, Student Safety in Island Schools: Handling of Complaints and Incidents of Staff Sexual Misconduct, to Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Education and Early Years, Robin Croucher, on Feb. 10, 2026. The document examines how Island schools handle complaints and incidents — particularly allegations of staff sexual misconduct — and recommends faster, clearer responses for families across the province, including in Kensington.
The review found gaps in how the Public Schools Branch tracks the history of staff members as they move between locations. Jenkins recommends creating a centralized reporting system (a central registry) so administrators at schools such as Kensington Intermediate Senior High and Queen Elizabeth Elementary would have access to clear information about prior complaints and incidents. The province has said it plans to introduce a central reporting system to track complaints.
For families in Kensington, the report calls for a major change to how quickly schools must react to safety concerns. Local sources cited in the dossier suggested some formal responses can take up to 14 days; Jenkins’ report recommends an ‘initial contact’ mandate — an initial parental contact within 48 hours — and standardized timelines for notification and investigation.
Karla Bernard of the Opposition Green Caucus has previously met with Commissioner Jenkins to discuss these safety gaps. The report’s recommendations — including centralized tracking, mandatory training and clearer reporting thresholds — are expected to be phased in or considered for implementation in the 2026–2027 school year if adopted by the provincial government.
Other recommendations include specialized safety and grooming-identification training for school staff (with attention to rural schools that serve as regional hubs) and a third‑party or outside oversight mechanism for serious complaints. Taken together, Jenkins says these changes are intended to prevent incidents from being ignored or lost when employees move between school locations and to improve the consistency and speed of responses to safety concerns.
