UPDATE: Melrose High School Evacuated Due to Written Bomb Threat Found in Bathroom

(Editor's Note: This article was updated at 2:43 p.m. with comments from Melrose Police Chief Mike Lyle.)

The discovery of a written bomb threat led to the evacuation of on Thursday morning, according to Mayor Rob Dolan.

Melrose Police Chief Mike Lyle said a student found the written threat in a men's bathroom on the first floor of the school and brought it to the attention of a school monitor.

"It said 'bomb' in chicken scratch and then said 'in school' and then today’s date: '5-26-2011,'" Lyle said. "The restrooms are checked daily and any graffiti in the bathroom is cleaned daily, so they knew it happened this morning."

School officials learned of the threat at 10:20 a.m., Dolan said, adding that "anything handwritten, they take very seriously."

Students were taken outside as a precautionary measure to the "Cabbage Patch" in front of , while Melrose Police and NEMLEC's School Threat Assessment and Response System (STARS) searched the building with police dogs. Dolan said the search did not uncover anything.

The superintendent's press release said, "Following a thorough search of the high school by public safety and NEMLEC officials, it was deemed safe for students and staff to return to class and for school to resume. At no time was there a threat to students and staff at the high school or middle school."

Shortly before 1 p.m., Dolan said that students had all been moved back into the high school and that law enforcement officials were leaving the school.

"All teams worked together very closely and obviously our number one priority is to see to the safety and well-being of all students and faculty at Melrose High School, and any school building in community," Lyle said.

Melrosians saw and heard helicopters overhead during the search; Lyle said that they were from local television news stations. A commenter on Melrose Patch's Facebook Page said that after being taken outside, students had been taken into the middle school gym, where they awaited the completion of the search.

The incident remains under investigation by Melrose Police and school officials.

The full press release from Superintendent Joe Casey's office:

It was brought to the attention of school officials at approximately 10:20 a.m. today that a note was written in the male restroom on the first floor of Melrose High School indicating a bomb threat with today’s date.  School officials contacted the Melrose Police Department, along with the Melrose Fire Dept. After a brief meeting it was recommended that a NEMLEC/School Threat Assessment response team be activated.

Following a thorough search of the high school by public safety and NEMLEC officials, it was deemed safe for students and staff to return to class and for school to resume.  At no time was there a threat to students and staff at the high school or middle school.

Parents should note the school and police are conducting an investigation to identify the responsible parties.

You should know that we take all threats seriously and the focus of school officials and the police department are the safety of students and staff. We wish to thank all students, staff and parents for their cooperation in allowing the school and public safety officials to do their job and keep our students safe.