Some kids in tears after vandals wreck school

Students at Golden Horn elementary school just outside Whitehorse got an unexpected day off Tuesday after vandals rampaged through the building the night before.

Police say vandals smashed windows, threw computers against the wall, kicked in doors and knocked over filing cabinets in a spree that will cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

The Education Department's director of learning, Dave Sloan, says there was extensive damage to windows along one wing of the school.

"One of the reasons we're not having the kids come today is that there's so much glass, both inside and outside, that it really is very dangerous," he says. "Plus the fact that the windows are going to have to be taken up, removing as much glass as they can. And we're going to have to board up the windows, because these are going to have to be custom-made windows and they're going to be quite difficult to replace."

Officials say students will return to class on Wednesday. But they are bracing themselves for some difficult moments.

"The general consensus was that we thought we should have a brief assembly tomorrow [Wednesday] morning to explain to the children what has happened, where we are, because our children are intelligent as well; they would like to know what's happening with the investigation," said Chris Wright, Golden Horn's principal.

"I know we will probably give them a chance to speak as well, because this is a school they love. I've already had several parents phone me this morning. Two of them mentioned their child is actually crying."

The school's video surveillance system caught the vandals in the act, and police are reviewing the footage. However, no suspects have been arrested.