A recent threat investigated at State Street Elementary has prompted school officials to review the way in which notifications are sent out to parents via the Bridger Broadcast system.
Parents told the school board they were upset to learn that only a letter was sent home after a threat was found scribbled in a bathroom and students were kept in their classrooms while their belongings got searched.
“I should have received a phone call,” one parent said. “I shouldn’t have gotten a letter in a backpack.”
Baden Police Chief Dave Christner said police were called around 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6 for a threat written in light pencil on a bathroom partition. He said the threat read: “I am going to kill___” appearing as if a name had been removed.
A student reported the note, though it was unclear whether the message was written that day or sometime prior.
“I did not believe the threat was imminent,” Christner said, “but we did go ahead and take every precaution we thought was necessary to keep the children safe.”
He said the building was placed on lockdown and secured before three officers and three teachers checked book bags and cubbyholes. State Street has only 14 classrooms and didn’t require an extensive sweep as compared to a junior high or high school with lockers and more classrooms, he said.
“We did not want to disrupt the children,” Christner said. “We did it as simply and safely as we could without having to disrupt the day.”
He said officers took the proper precautions and made sure students were kept safe.
State Street Parent Caron Baker told the school board she didn’t have a problem with police doing their job, but was instead upset with how parents were notified about an “unspecified” incident that warranted the police department.
Baker said she has gotten various broadcast phone calls this school year from threats at the junior high and Economy elementary school to a bomb threat at the high school— and even a MRSA incident at the high school.
“Did we get a notification by the Bridger Broadcast System? No, we did not,” said Baker, whose two children attend the elementary school. “I think that is unacceptable.”
Superintendent Cynthia Zurchin said the district’s policy has been that a broadcast goes out if a building is evacuated.
“Since we did not evacuate the building, we did not send a Bridger Broadcast, and we were in communication with the chief of police at all times.”
Zurchin said there are some kinks that have to be worked out in the broadcast system. Some people have complained they aren’t receiving the phone calls at all, she said.
“We will continue to work through that system,” she said.
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“I should have received a phone call,” one parent said. “I shouldn’t have gotten a letter in a backpack.”
Baden Police Chief Dave Christner said police were called around 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6 for a threat written in light pencil on a bathroom partition. He said the threat read: “I am going to kill___” appearing as if a name had been removed.
A student reported the note, though it was unclear whether the message was written that day or sometime prior.
“I did not believe the threat was imminent,” Christner said, “but we did go ahead and take every precaution we thought was necessary to keep the children safe.”
He said the building was placed on lockdown and secured before three officers and three teachers checked book bags and cubbyholes. State Street has only 14 classrooms and didn’t require an extensive sweep as compared to a junior high or high school with lockers and more classrooms, he said.
“We did not want to disrupt the children,” Christner said. “We did it as simply and safely as we could without having to disrupt the day.”
He said officers took the proper precautions and made sure students were kept safe.
State Street Parent Caron Baker told the school board she didn’t have a problem with police doing their job, but was instead upset with how parents were notified about an “unspecified” incident that warranted the police department.
Baker said she has gotten various broadcast phone calls this school year from threats at the junior high and Economy elementary school to a bomb threat at the high school— and even a MRSA incident at the high school.
“Did we get a notification by the Bridger Broadcast System? No, we did not,” said Baker, whose two children attend the elementary school. “I think that is unacceptable.”
Superintendent Cynthia Zurchin said the district’s policy has been that a broadcast goes out if a building is evacuated.
“Since we did not evacuate the building, we did not send a Bridger Broadcast, and we were in communication with the chief of police at all times.”
Zurchin said there are some kinks that have to be worked out in the broadcast system. Some people have complained they aren’t receiving the phone calls at all, she said.
“We will continue to work through that system,” she said.
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