COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A bomb threat was made against Northwest High School and both Colerain High and Middle Schools just one day after Northwest High School went on lockdown because of nearby police activity.
The district said the threat was investigated by Colerain police and determined to have no credibility. Classes at Colerain High School and Colerain Middle School continued along with school-related activities. The threat was made via email, the district said.
Out of an abundance of caution, however, the schools will have a heightened police presence in school buildings.
Northwest High School is closed Thursday, Oct. 31, but that was announced Wednesday evening after the lockdown. The lockdown happened after Northwest schools said "two unknown individuals off campus approached and confronted a NWHS student during dismissal. The two individuals fled the area. A weapon was recovered off campus after the incident."
In a letter to parents on Wednesday, principal Alex Shrewsberry said only staff would report to the school, with the day "dedicated to reflecting on today's occurrence in order to identify any safety concerns and to prepare staff on how to best support students who may have been emotionally impacted by the situation today."
Northwest Local School District said on social media Wednesday afternoon that reports of suspicious people in the area prompted a full lockdown at Northwest High School. Pleasant Run Elementary and Pleasant Run Middle School were also put on lockdown due to their proximity to Northwest High School.
The lockdowns at Pleasant Run Elementary and Middle School were then lifted around 3:10 p.m. While classes were dismissed for the day at Northwest High School, the district said students who were on campus for after-school activities were ushered into the building and a controlled dismissal took place.
In his letter to parents, Shrewsberry said he understands Wednesday's lockdown "caused great concern among our school community, and we want to take every measure possible to ensure that our students and staff feel safe and supported when they return to school."
"We understand that the closure of the school tomorrow can be disruptive, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our students and their families. However, we believe that this precautionary measure is essential in providing a supportive learning environment for our students as they return on Friday, November 1, 2024," said Shrewsberry.
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