Dear Parents & BH-BL Community,
We want to let you know that early this morning we received notice that threatening statements toward the middle school were posted on Instagram on Thursday evening. The Glenville Police Department and our School Resource Office, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Cicardi, along with middle school’s administration and custodial staff immediately began an investigation of the incident. Prior to the opening of school, before any staff or students arrived on campus, the middle school building and the grounds surrounding the school were thoroughly searched. Law enforcement officials ascertained that the school was safe and that the threats were not credible.
The incident was further investigated by school officials. With the help of information provided by high school and middle school students, the individual who made the threat was quickly identified. The district and police department will work together to determine appropriate disciplinary measures and legal consequences for this student.
I’d like to take this opportunity to remind parents to talk to their children (age appropriate) about the seriousness of making threats of any type against our district, a school, or individuals within our schools. What may be intended as a joke or prank to one person can actually be considered a crime to law enforcement officials. These types of things are always taken very seriously by our law enforcement partners and could result in serious legal consequences, including an arrest and even felony charges.
We live and socialize in a world where technology makes it easy for us to stay connected, whether it’s through cell phones, social media, chat apps, emails, etc. However, this ease of access also creates a digital footprint of our communication. It is extremely important to explain to young people that there can be lasting consequences to online/social media threats, cyberbullying, and inappropriate posts. Comments and pictures put on the internet are nearly impossible to remove completely. Furthermore, digital communication is not anonymous or untraceable. Even deleted or supposedly “anonymous” items can be recovered and used by law enforcement to identify those who make such threats. Please stress these facts at home.
I would like to commend the students who brought these recent threats to our attention in a timely manner and assisted us in identifying the responsible party. It’s this type of trust and connection within our school community that helps us ensure a safe and healthy school environment. Please continue to encourage your children to report any suspicious or concerning actions that they see or hear to school officials and law enforcement.
We are also grateful to the Glenville Police Department, SRO Cicardi, Director of Security Poitier, and the middle school administration for their quick, diligent, and thorough response to this recent incident. If you have any questions about school security, in general, please do not hesitate to contact me. As always, I thank you for your support and involvement in our schools.
Sincerely,
Patrick M. McGrath Jr.
Superintendent of Schools