The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

The district to facilitate community safety sessions this summer

WAITSBURG—Parents of Waitsburg School District students had a scare after a post on Facebook alerting users of a ‘school shooting threat’ was rapidly shared online. The events happened less than 24 hours after 19 students and two teachers were killed by a gunman in Uvalde, Texas.

On Wednesday, May 25, a parent of a student enrolled in the district posted on social media that she was aware of death threats being made at the school and urged parents to keep their children home. The parent has since deleted the post.

A number of parents with preschool through high school students opted to keep their kids at home on the following day.

A safety message from Superintendent Mark Pickel was emailed to parents and shared on social media the next day, May 26. In his response to the parent’s post, Pickel acknowledged the high levels of anxiety and frustration voiced by parents and the community.

The parent who made the original post contacted the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, and that office contacted the district’s administration. WSD staff worked with the sheriff’s office, which conducted an investigation, concluding that the threat was not credible and posed no danger to the students or staff.

Details regarding the threats have not been shared with the public or The Times due to protections offered under the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act.

In the letter to parents, the Waitsburg School District said it would review the school’s current emergency plans. These plans were developed in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies and fire departments and are currently in place. District students and staff participate in regular safety drills, including those aimed at school lockdowns, shelter in place, and evacuation drills.

The school does offer the SafeSchools Alert system, which allows students or parents to alert the school quickly and anonymously to any safety threats. The SafeSchools system can be found on the district website, http://www.waitsburgsd.org.

The school counselor, Rosy Nechodom, is available for parents and students. She can be contacted by calling the district’s main office at (509) 337-6301.

The district will continue working with the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office to conduct active-shooter training for staff over the summer, and student drills will begin in the fall.

Pickel said that he is currently working with the school board and the finance office to explore purchasing safety systems, with options including secure badges and buzz-in entrances to regulate access to buildings, interior and exterior cameras, and alarm systems.

Mental health services are being looked at, with Pickel saying that the district has contacted local health agencies, including Comprehensive Mental Health, Walla Walla Department of Community Health, and ESD 123, to see what can be done to enhance resources.

Over the summer, the Regional Safety Center Threat Assessment, a specialized team employed by Educational Services Department 123, will be facilitating a community safety session. Details regarding the session will be shared as they become available.