By JOHN ANDERSON
Thanks to policies, procedures and being prepared, a report of an alleged active shooter at Arkport Central School on Thursday afternoon was figured out and parents were notified immediately.
While some parents were not able to get their children until 5 p.m., they knew what was happening and why their kids were safe.
WHAT WE KNOW
Parents shared with the Sun a social media post on Snapchat of a student (under the age of 16) who posted what was perceived as a threat, but a weapon was not displayed.
The student was detained and police told the Sun a weapon was not located in the building. As the investigation was going on, there was a large, multi-agency response.
SCHOOL TAKES ACTION
Arkport Superintendent Jesse Harper said he understood what the parents were going through, especially for parents who had to wait. A group of students in kindergarten through sixth grade were in the auditorium watching a play when they went into lockdown. Each student was released one-by-one as staff accounted for everyone. The younger kids went first and came out to their parents. The parents watched their kids come out of the school and to them through the crowd of police, SWAT teams and K-9’s.
“Entering a lockdown can be unnerving and may cause stress and anxiety for students, families, and staff,” Harper said. “I encourage families to talk to students about the day’s events; as always, our school counselors are available to provide support to students and staff members.
I can assure you the district takes any threat seriously; providing a safe learning environment for the entire ACS community is always our top priority,” Harper added.
Unlike most incidents at schools, the response on social media was overwhelmingly positive toward the way it was handled.
PARENTS RESPOND
Brian Sundwall was at the school and got photos of the large police presence. As he watched it unfold, he posted photos and this statement, “Arkport school right now …what ever the situation, Arkport was on their game … thank you all for keeping the kids safe … it was done with ease and safety. Signing out all the walkers was perfect and well maintained and very secure.”
Another parent commented, “Sounds like Arkport handled this better than most! Thanks for taking great care of our children, grandchildren, and the awesome hard working staff! Arkport Proud!”
STATEMENT FROM THE SCHOOL
Harper’s official statement on the incident was, “Yesterday, Thursday, Mar. 7, the Arkport Central School District administration was notified of a possible threat to the school, made via social media. Our first course of action was to immediately contact local law enforcement and enter into a lockdown, according to our established safety protocols. The matter was promptly investigated by law enforcement, who determined there was no active threat. Students were then dismissed, again following safety measures.”
Harper thanked everyone who helped on Thursday.
“We appreciate the thorough response of our law enforcement partners. Their immediate attention to this matter and our ongoing collaboration enables us to ensure the safety and security of ACS students and staff,” Harper said. “I would also like to commend ACS students and staff for their cooperation and composed response. By calmly following the procedures they have practiced and adhering to the district’s safety protocols, they allowed the authorities to quickly investigate the matter.”
Harper added, “If you have any questions or further concerns, please contact me at 607-295-7471.
Arkport and most schools in Steuben County had school today. In a coincidence, other local schools had lockdown drills scheduled for today and they were canceled.
Photos by Brian Sundwall
