September 11, 2024
Good morning. This morning the district’s Police Officer was made aware of screenshots of a snapchat message alleging violence against a school. The messages did not indicate a particular school as a target as the message was very general. We immediately contacted the Pennsylvania State Police and they were able to determine that these messages were part of a larger SnapChat hoax and there is no credible threat to our schools. The message originated out of Fredrick County, Virginia and spread into other states including Pennsylvania.
These hoaxes are intended to cause fear and distrust. As parents ourselves, we fully understand how unsettling these situations are and want to assure you we take these situations seriously and conduct thorough investigations. We appreciate and encourage people to report any suspicious behavior or information to the school or law enforcement and also ask students to avoid sharing unverified alarming content online. We also want to make sure our community understands that law enforcement is well aware of the SnapChat and Facebook posts that are currently circulating and together we have investigated the alleged threats and have not deemed them credible.
Schools will operate on a normal schedule today, but with an increased police presence to provide additional peace of mind.
We thank you for your cooperation as we navigate the complexities caused by social media.