Four school districts in Lewis County — Mossyrock, Napavine, Onalaska and Toledo — have closed their campuses, enacted lockdowns or responded to various threats and suspicious activity this week.
In each case, local law enforcement was contacted to investigate.
The incidents do not appear related to one another.
Closures at Mossyrock and Napavine
Superintendent Dr. Mark Chandler of the Mossyrock School District made the decision to close school and all school-related activities across the district Wednesday after reporting “suspicious activity near campus.”
The announcement was made in the early hours of Sept. 17.
“Law enforcement was contacted and we are working closely with local authorities to thoroughly assess and secure the campus,” Chandler wrote in a statement addressed to Viking families. “This precautionary measure allows law enforcement and school personnel the necessary time to ensure that our learning environment remains safe for everyone.”
“We will provide updates as more information becomes available and will communicate promptly regarding plans for reopening,” the superintendent added.
A representative for the Morton Police Department, which provides service to Mossyrock, told The Chronicle that the case is still under investigation. No details were made available as of press time.
The previous morning, 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 was taken into 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 School District lockdown
In a separate 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.”
Toledo safety incident
In yet another matter, Superintendent Brennan Bailey of the Toledo School District informed parents and guardians Tuesday evening about an incident that occurred at the Toledo Middle School that day “involving a potential threat to the safety of our students and staff.”
“School administration was made aware of a threat,” Bailey wrote in a statement posted to the district’s Facebook page. “We immediately followed safety protocols, working with law enforcement to assess and address the situation. After thorough investigation it was determined that there is no ongoing threat to our school or community. Necessary action has been taken with law enforcement officials to resolve this matter. We will continue to investigate and improve how we respond to such events.”
The superintendent emphasized that the situation was “handled swiftly and effectively,” and that “at no time were any students in danger.”
The school resumed normal operations Wednesday.
Bailey told The Chronicle that the incident resulted from an individual who came to the middle school to request information about enrolling a student. Based on the exchange, the dean of students alerted other administrators, and the Winlock Police Department was contacted. No school-wide lockdown was enacted, though teachers were told to ensure classrooms were locked, per district policy.
