Update, 6:20 p.m.: Maplewood Police Chief Jim DeVaul said, “While there are no specific threats directed towards the district, the department is coordinating efforts with the district to provide additional Patrols.”
From SOMSD:
Dear SOMSD Community,
The state has notified us of recent internet chatter on social media about a concern of school shootings taking place tomorrow, Friday, December 17, 2021. This chatter is not specific to a locality or time.
We have been informed by the NJ Director of the Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning that at this point, there is no viable intelligence to support this as a legitimate threat. Messages such as this current one, circulating in numerous states, are often posted to cause confusion and heightened anxiety among members of the school community. While this threat has not been deemed a credible threat, we still encourage students, parents and staff to report any concerns they may have going forward.
Parents/guardians, we encourage you to speak with your child and let them know that the South Orange & Maplewood School District takes every threat seriously. In addition, as always, in conjunction with the county prosecutor’s office and our local police department, we remain vigilant and investigate every threat that we receive.
Please know that the safety of our students and staff is always our number one priority. We want to reiterate there are no specific threats directed toward any SOMSD School.
More information regarding the rise of unsubstantiated school threats throughout the country can be found in this nj.com article by clicking here: https://www.nj.com/education/
South Orange & Maplewood School District
