ARNOLD, Mo. — A bomb threat forced students at Fox High School out of their buildings early Friday morning, the Fox High School superintendent said.
"Earlier this morning, we received notification that a bomb threat had been made against Fox High School. We immediately began working with local law enforcement and initiated a campus-wide lockdown that includes Fox High, Fox Middle, and Fox Elementary," said Superintendent Dr. Jim Wipke in an email to parents.
Classes were canceled for each of three schools.
"If your student was already on campus this morning, please know they are safe and we are working to arrange for transportation to return these middle and high school students home," said Dr. Wipke.
Wipke promised to update parents as the day progresses.
Letter sent to parents
Dear Fox C-6 Community,
We share your deep concern for student and staff safety. I would like to take a few moments to follow up on the situation at Fox Campus this morning that resulted in the cancellation of school for Fox High, Fox Middle, and Fox Elementary. First and foremost, when our school district receives threats we immediately work with the local law enforcement to determine the level of credibility to the threat. If we cannot confidently rule out a threat’s credibility, then action to keep our students and staff safe becomes the immediate priority as it was today.
At around 7:00 AM this morning, 911 dispatch received a call that included a bomb threat for Fox High School. Authorities immediately began to close the campus, notified school officials and began working in conjunction with administrators to begin our safety and security protocol. In speaking with the Arnold Police Department, we could not completely rule out that the threat was not credible, so, we immediately began taking steps to evacuate students to safe and secure locations while police secured the campus and began a thorough search of the building, including the use of trained canines. Working together with the Police Department, it was determined that we would indeed cancel school for the campus. Once authorities determined it was safe to proceed with dismissal, students were taken to the Service Center as a reunification point to allow parent pickup to take place.
During these situations, it is important to note that we work in conjunction with and under the guidance of law enforcement professionals. When threats like this are made, we adhere to the advice and direction of local authorities in order to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and school community. I am incredibly grateful to our staff who worked hard to abide by district policy and enact safety precautions to ensure the safety of everyone on campus this morning. I am equally as proud of our students that followed our directions and worked so well with the staff. Lastly, I wish to extend my gratitude to the Arnold Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department for their timely response and coordination this morning.
Please know that student safety is our top priority. When we communicate, we want to give you information that is accurate as well as timely. Because our first priority is keeping our children safe, sometimes official communication travels more slowly than we would like. Especially in this age of technology, I know it can be frustrating waiting for information, but I want you to know that any delays are because our focus is always on making sure students are safe, comfortable, and calm during a stressful situation.
While I cannot legally disclose information related to suspects or the status of the investigation, I can tell you that threats of this type are considered incredibly serious and warrant the inclusion and cooperation of the FBI and ATF organizations to investigate and work towards an arrest. I want to assure you that we continue to take every step available to us to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We have the full cooperation of the police, and our district policies will guide our decisions regarding any disciplinary action upon conclusion of the investigation.
The safety and security of our students, staff, and learning environment is our top priority. Any threat made, whether credible or not, will be dealt with seriously and in full accordance of law and district policy. We strongly encourage students and others to "say something when you see something." By doing so, we create a safer school, school district and community.
We will continue to be vigilant in these efforts to maintain a safe and comfortable learning environment. Thank you for your patience and understanding and we look forward to seeing our students on Monday.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jim Wipke
Superintendent
