The Napavine School District, under the direction of Superintendent Shane Schutz, canceled all school activities across its district early Tuesday after receiving information of a possible threat made to students on social media.
The Napavine Police Department told The Chronicle Tuesday that a middle-school-aged juvenile had made threats to shoot other students. That juvenile is now in custody. The specific nature of the threat was not disclosed, such as whether the threat was made in person or through some other form of communication — nor was the age of the juvenile suspect given.
In a written statement sent to the media Tuesday, however, Schutz indicated that “law enforcement received a report from a parent in the community regarding a possible school shooting threat posted on social media.”
The district posted a separate message from the superintendent addressed to Napavine families on its website and Facebook page just before 6 a.m. Tuesday.
“Due to some information received late last night, I have made the decision to cancel school today to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” Schutz wrote. “There will also be no out of district transportation and no food service today.”
“In collaboration with law enforcement, we want to take the necessary time to carefully review and investigate the information received late last night,” Schutz added. “Our priority is making certain that both students and staff can return to school safely.”
“All after-school activities are canceled at this time,” Schutz wrote. “If any new information arises, your coaches will reach out to provide further guidance and instructions.”
“Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support as we work to keep our Napavine community safe,” Schutz concluded.
Monday evening, the superintendent sent an email to parents and guardians of the district, in which he wrote, “As soon as we became aware of the situation, we immediately contacted law enforcement. They have been fully briefed and are actively involved in addressing the matter.”
Schutz did not share specifics regarding the situation, but referred to “a possible inappropriate threat involving the high school that came to our attention after school hours today.”
The superintendent told The Chronicle Tuesday that he hoped school-related activities would resume at the district’s elementary and junior/senior high schools on Wednesday, based on the information he had received from police, but that an official determination had not yet been made.
At about 2:24 p.m., Tuesday, Schutz released another message to the district’s website and Facebook page thanking families and staff for their patience and understanding during the last 24 hours and announcing that school would resume tomorrow on its normal schedule.
“I am writing to inform you that local law enforcement has completed a thorough investigation regarding the possible threat reported to our school district last night,” Schutz wrote. “Based on their careful review, they have confirmed that it is safe for students and staff to return to school.”
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our local police officers for their tireless efforts in investigating the situation and for maintaining open communication with our administration to ensure the safety of our school community,” Schutz added. “They will also be present at school tomorrow to provide additional reassurance and support for a safe return.”
Onalaska lockdown
In an unrelated matter, at about 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, the Onalaska School District enacted a “modified lockdown” at its own high school “out of an abundance of caution,” according to Superintendent Brenda Padgett.
The lockdown resulted from a reported individual “who did not have permission or a clear purpose” to be at the high school, according to a statement from the superintendent that was posted to the district’s Facebook page at about 2:44 p.m.
After observing the individual, a school maintenance employee notified the school’s safety officer, who then attempted to make contact with the individual, according to the statement.
“When the individual refused to comply and continued walking on school property, the high school was placed into a modified lockdown as a precautionary measure, and a call was placed to 911 reporting a disorderly subject trespassing,” Padgett wrote.
“During this time, the individual escalated in behavior and became aggressive toward another member of our maintenance team,” Padgett added. “(School Safety Officer) Wetzel maintained control of the situation until Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived. The individual was soon located and taken into custody.”
