BRECKENRIDGE HILLS, Mo. — Reports of online threats pushed the Ritenour School District to conduct a remote learning day Thursday for Ritenour High School and Centralia City Schools District 135 to cancel classes. Two children were arrested in connection to the threats.
It aligns with a national trend of copycat school threats following the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia on Sept. 4.
According to a message from the Ritenour School District to Ritenour High School families and staff on Thursday morning, administrators made the decision to have an Alternate Method of Instruction Day out of an abundance of caution after receiving reports of threats overnight. The school building will only be open for staff on Thursday.
No other Ritenour schools are impacted, and every other school will remain in-person, the district said.
Thursday was already scheduled to be an early dismissal day for pre-K through 12th-grade students. It will go on as planned, with the following dismissal times, according to the district's website:
- Ritenour High School/Husky Academy - 12:50 p.m.
- Middle schools - 12:15 p.m.
- Elementary schools - 1:25 p.m.
- International Welcome Center - 11:20 a.m.
- Early Childhood - Full-day students dismiss at 1:25 p.m. Afternoon classes do not meet.
On Wednesday, a "major water main break" at Burns Avenue and Midland Boulevard forced the school district to dismiss students early due to low water pressure.
On the other side of the Mississippi River, class was canceled due to threats Thursday at Centralia City Schools, according to the district.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, the district said school officials and the Centralia Police Department were investigating the threats and the decision to cancel classes Thursday was made "in the best interest of safety."
Upon receiving information from the Central City Schools school resource officer, police were able to determine a threat to harm anyone that went to Centralia Junior High School had come from an 11-year-old girl. The girl's mother cooperated with police and "helped bring this case to a close."
The 11-year-old was taken into custody and charged with felony disorderly conduct, police said. Because she did not qualify for detainment, she was released to a family member.
During the investigation, a second 11-year-old came into the police department to confess to a separate threat posted on social media. The district was informed about the second threat, and that child was charged with felony disorderly conduct and released to a guardian.
Centralia students will return to school on Monday. Central City Schools was already scheduled to have no school Friday for a "teacher in service day."
Resources
The Ohel National Teacher Support Helpline offers teachers and school administrators free, confidential help navigating mental health and trauma-related issues for themselves and their students.
For anyone in need of immediate mental health support, Behavioral Health Response’s 24/7/365 Crisis Line and Youth Connection Helpline has a clinician available free of charge. Call 988, 314-469-6644 or 314-819-8802 (youth). Youth can also chat online at bhrstl.com or text BHEARD to 31658.
Compass Health Network's Behavioral Health Crisis Centers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The centers serve those 18 and older who are dealing with a mental health crisis and are under- or uninsured. Those in crisis can also call toll-free at 888-237-4567.
Safe Connections helps break the barriers of silence and isolation after experiencing trauma. Call the Safe Connections Crisis Helpline at 314-531-2003. You can also text that number from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, free of charge.
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Victim of Violence Program helps “curb the reoccurrence of interpersonal violence in the lives of children who have been shot, stabbed or assaulted, involved in domestic violence and Fit for Confinement evaluations.”