SUPERINTENDENT RELEASES PLAN OF ACTION REGARDING MAY 17 THREAT

A threat found inscribed on a girl's rest room stall at the Junior High in Waukon just over two weeks ago has had local officers and school personnel engaged in an investigation, actively seeking to find the perpetrator before the targeted date. Specifically, the note stated that Wed., May 17, "all of your are going to die." The author went on to say, "If you think I'm joking, you will be surprised."
However, despite a number of leads that investigators hoped would be conclusive, the perpetrator of the threat is yet to be proven. For that reason, school personnel and law enforcement officials have implemented a plan of action to protect students via all feasible preventative measures possible.
In a second letter to the parents of Junior High and East Elementary students sent early this week, Omer Troyer, superintendent of schools, stated that the following precautions would be taken throughout the week of May 17: uniformed officers would be on site; at given times, students could be scanned and their possessions searched; and lockers and other areas would periodically be searched, as well.
Troyer also stated that students could expect delays in entering the building, as well as alterations in their normal routine of movement throughout the school.
Though Troyer stated in the letter that every safety precaution deemed necessary would be taken, he further explained that students would be allowed a 'grace day' May 17 if parents prefer to keep their children at home.
"This is a difficult decision because most of us are resentful of a threat causing us to change our normal and proper daily routines," said Troyer. "However, safety always must be a prime consideration."
Investigation into the incident will continue as officers and school personnel make an effort to discourage further threats of this kind.
"Hopefully, students, parents, the school, and community will band together to do all we can to keep our schools from needing to deal with this type of situation in the future," concluded Troyer in the letter.