May 10, 2023
WAITSBURG FAMILIES & STAFF:
We want to inform our families and community about a recent trend called “swatting” hoaxes which have affected schools in our region and across the country. Swatting is the act of deceiving an emergency service into sending law enforcement or emergency response teams to a location through false reporting of a serious emergency, such as an active shooter or bomb threat.
We want to assure our families that our first priority is the safety of our students and staff. In the event of any reported threat at our schools, emergency services will respond and our schools will follow the established safety procedures while determining the credibility of the threat.
Waitsburg School District is tracking the trend and will communicate with families through our social media outlets, the Message Center in Skyward/Qmalitiv, the school district website, and our mobile app., as soon as safely possible in the event of a reported threat. Please take this opportunity to ensure your contact information is up to date in Skyward/Qmalitiv. If you are unsure, please contact the building your child attends and visit with the Administrative Assistant to confirm your contact information.
We ask that you talk with your children about how hoaxes like these can cause trauma to their peers and potentially prevent our community’s first responders from responding to real emergencies. We continue to encourage our students and school community to report anything that could constitute a threat to school safety.
If families or staff have any questions or want to learn more about our district’s safety procedures, please contact Mark Pickel, Superintendent, at 509-337-6301, or by email at mpickel@waitsburgsd.org.
Thank you,
Mark Pickel
Superintendent/Elementary Principal