To: WCSD Parents

Fr: Wayne F. Gersen

Dt: May 4, 1999

Re: Controlling Rumors, Ensuring Safe Schools

Our students, parents, teachers, and staff members have been troubled over the events two weeks ago in Colorado and over the many rumors circulating in our schools and community. I am writing to advise you of incidents that have occurred in our schools over the past several days, the steps we are taking to ensure safe schools, and the steps we are taking to control rumors in our district.

The tragedy at Columbine HS in Littleton, Colorado, has had some repercussions across the country, in neighboring school districts, and in WCSD. We have experienced some incidents in our schools that mirror elements of the Columbine tragedy, and we are taking a firm stand against those who are threatening the safety of our students and our schools. We have suspended students for the balance of the school year for incidents at Jay, Ketcham, and Wappingers Junior High, and are seeking criminal prosecution and longer suspensions where appropriate. We have active investigations underway in cooperation with the State Police involving "hit lists" at Wappingers Junior High and Roy C. Ketcham.

As a result of the heightened concerns about school safety among parents, teachers, and students and the incidents and rumors that we are witnessing, WCSD schools have taken the safety precautions outlined on the reverse side of this page. This may result in some inconveniences in entering our schools, but we believe the inconvenience is a necessary trade-off to ensure safety in our schools.

WCSD administrators need your help in our efforts to calm fears among our students, parents, and staff. You can do this by calling your Principal with any rumors or information you hear regarding threats to any WCSD students or to any WCSD school facilities. In turn, we will keep the all WCSD Principals apprised of information we learn about rumors or incidents in any of our schools. Over the past days, we find that sharing unfounded rumors is as damaging as starting unfounded rumors. Please make certain your children understand this. Please give us an opportunity to dispel misinformation and aggressively pursue any "new" rumors by calling the school as soon as you learn of a rumor.

In closing, please work with us in the days ahead so we can continue to provide a safe and secure learning environment for your children.

• Limited Access to Schools: WCSD has limited the entry to each school to the main entrance only, unless the entry is supervised. This restriction will be in effect at all hours of the day in elementary schools.
• Pursuit of all rumors involving safety of students: WCSD administrators are pursuing all rumors involving potential danger to students. Law enforcement officials have been involved where appropriate. These officials have provided great assistance to our administrators in the pursuit of these rumors and the prosecution of students who have started rumors or made verbal threats.
• Sharing of information regarding rumors with all WCSD administrators: WCSD administrators will be apprised of rumors and/or incidents at all schools in an effort to keep parents, teachers, and students advised of active and completed investigations that yielded no substance.
• Walkie Talkies provided to monitors in remote hallways of HSs. HS Principals have provided walkie talkies to monitors stationed in remote hallways. This will help ensure that the main offices and outside security personnel are alerted immediately of potential problems or the attempted illegal entry of the schools.
• Telephone protocols instituted to assist in identification individuals who may attempt to call in bomb threats: WCSD administrators have taken steps to screen outside telephone calls to enable them to be traced more easily.