The following information was emailed from Mason City School officials and obtained by NorthIowaToday.com:
“To Mason City High School Families,
At lunch on Thursday, March 3, 2011 a student found a note pertaining to a bomb threat tomorrow. I want to assure you that we are committed to creating a safe and secure environment each and every day in and around our schools. The administration and police department are investigating who may have written the statement.
After an internal investigation and through our work with the police we have made some decisions to make the campus more secure and safe. The following actions may cause some inconvenience, but will increase safety:
– All students, visitors, and parents will enter through the main entry doors to the H.S. Students riding buses will continue to enter through the bus turn around door.
– Friday, March 4 a search of bags, purses, and belongings. (This will occur randomly throughout the rest if the year)
– Bags/purses and coats will continue to be restricted in the hallway and classrooms. These items should be placed in student lockers
– The building has been searched, including lockers and classrooms
– Extra staff will be assisting in implementing our plan. This includes additional assistance from the police department.
– Frequent checks of the building and lockers will also occur
We encourage students to remain in school; we will maintain our attendance policy as we have put many things in place to assure the safety of our students and staff.
We also recognize that schools and school personnel have tremendous influence over the lives and choices of young people everyday. We also know that we are in partnership with parents to help young people learn how to make good choices for themselves. We have a “collective responsibility” as members of the larger Mason City community to set appropriate boundaries for young people and to ensure their safety and security.
Please feel free to contact the office at Mason City High School if you have additional questions, concerns, or you have information. This is a great case for continued parent involvement and vigilance with high school age students. |
