The Burrell School District will have a ‘flexible instruction day’ and 2-hour delay Tuesday after a “concerning social media post” was reported Monday by students.
The district’s buildings were on a soft lockdown Monday afternoon, and district officials decided to make the changes for Tuesday’s classes after “an additional social media post has been circulated causing more concern for several of our families and students” after the end of Monday’s school day, Superintendent Shannon Wagner said in an electronic announcement sent to parents Monday evening.
Wagner wrote that the change was made “in order to give authorities a chance to thoroughly review the information” received Monday.
She wrote a flexible school day is a virtual day where students can learn from home via technology.
She wrote that “Students and families will receive more information in the morning.”
Earlier Monday, Wagner discussed the earlier threats.
“Students received and reported two social media posts indicating a potential safety concern at Burrell High School today,” Wagner said. “All district buildings remained in lockdown for the afternoon.
“An increased police presence was at all buildings. The nature and credibility of the social media posts are under investigation.”
A soft lockdown is when teachers and students are in locked classrooms without changing rooms but instruction continues, said Wagner. Schools dismissed students for the day at the normal times.
She said students saw the threat in the early afternoon and reported it to officials. The threat targeted the high school. A
Officials did not comment on the nature of the threat, but screenshots of one of the social media posts obtained by TribLive showed a threat of a shooting at the high school at 1:30 p.m. Monday, which did not occur.
Police continue to investigate the threat. It’s anticipated there will be an increased police presence at the district’s schools Tuesday.
Wagner stressed the district does everything it can to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“Serving kids is our livelihood,” Wagner said. “We’re right there in it, right beside their child. We will do everything we can to protect the children and ourselves.”
Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.
