Classes were canceled Tuesdayat West High and the building was evacuated as officials investigate a possible bomb threat.
Sgt. Scott Gaarde referred all questions about school district procedure to the Iowa City Community School District, but said police were investigating a possible threat with the assistance of the Iowa City Fire Department and the University of Iowa Police Department.
The school district released a message on Tuesday morning saying that everyone was safe and that all students, faculty and staff had been evacuated from the school and bused to an undisclosed off-site location.
West Principal Gregg Shoultz said the ICPD informed the school of the threat at about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Students were evacuated to the University of Iowa's Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex at 2820 Prairie Meadows Drive. School officials decided to cancel classes for the day after police informed them that it would take hours to clear the building, Shoultz said.
Parents could come to the east parking lot of the tennis complex to pick up their kids if necessary, Shoultz said. Students with cars were bused back to West to pick up their vehicles and others were being taken home early by bus, he added.
Shoultz said police investigators were searching West with four bomb specialists and two dogs, but had not located anything as of about 11:15 a.m. Once police clear the building, Shoultz said students would be allowed back inside to pick up backpacks and possessions, and that evening activities in the building would likely continue as planned.
"At this time, we're anticipating having after-school activities as planned," he said.
West High was being used as a polling station for Tuesday's Johnson County Supervisor special election, but had to be moved due to the evacuation, according to a news release from the Johnson County Auditor's Office.
"We were told that it's going to be quite a while before the school is opened so we had to go into our emergency situation and switch where we're voting today and go from there," Auditor Travis Weipert said.
Voting was moved to the University of Iowa's Athletic Hall of Fame, 2425 Prairie Meadow Drive, until West High is reopened.
Weipert said no one had voted at West prior to the bomb threat being called in Tuesday morning.
Here's the message from the school district:
Good Morning,
This is to inform you that West High School has received a bomb threat this morning. Please know that all students and staff are safe. As a safety precaution, all students and staff are being evacuated by bus to an off-site location. We will keep you updated as we receive additional information. Please do not go to the building as students and staff are being transported off-site. Thank you for your cooperation. Safety of students and staff are our top priority.
Thank you,
Stephen Murley
Superintendent of Schools
Iowa City Community School District
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...investigating-bomb-threat-west-high/78998128/
Sgt. Scott Gaarde referred all questions about school district procedure to the Iowa City Community School District, but said police were investigating a possible threat with the assistance of the Iowa City Fire Department and the University of Iowa Police Department.
The school district released a message on Tuesday morning saying that everyone was safe and that all students, faculty and staff had been evacuated from the school and bused to an undisclosed off-site location.
West Principal Gregg Shoultz said the ICPD informed the school of the threat at about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Students were evacuated to the University of Iowa's Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex at 2820 Prairie Meadows Drive. School officials decided to cancel classes for the day after police informed them that it would take hours to clear the building, Shoultz said.
Parents could come to the east parking lot of the tennis complex to pick up their kids if necessary, Shoultz said. Students with cars were bused back to West to pick up their vehicles and others were being taken home early by bus, he added.
Shoultz said police investigators were searching West with four bomb specialists and two dogs, but had not located anything as of about 11:15 a.m. Once police clear the building, Shoultz said students would be allowed back inside to pick up backpacks and possessions, and that evening activities in the building would likely continue as planned.
"At this time, we're anticipating having after-school activities as planned," he said.
West High was being used as a polling station for Tuesday's Johnson County Supervisor special election, but had to be moved due to the evacuation, according to a news release from the Johnson County Auditor's Office.
"We were told that it's going to be quite a while before the school is opened so we had to go into our emergency situation and switch where we're voting today and go from there," Auditor Travis Weipert said.
Voting was moved to the University of Iowa's Athletic Hall of Fame, 2425 Prairie Meadow Drive, until West High is reopened.
Weipert said no one had voted at West prior to the bomb threat being called in Tuesday morning.
Here's the message from the school district:
Good Morning,
This is to inform you that West High School has received a bomb threat this morning. Please know that all students and staff are safe. As a safety precaution, all students and staff are being evacuated by bus to an off-site location. We will keep you updated as we receive additional information. Please do not go to the building as students and staff are being transported off-site. Thank you for your cooperation. Safety of students and staff are our top priority.
Thank you,
Stephen Murley
Superintendent of Schools
Iowa City Community School District
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...investigating-bomb-threat-west-high/78998128/
