Wappingers Schools Receive 2 More Threats

WAPPINGER, NY — The Wappingers school district received two more threats Thursday, but officials are planning to have schools open on Monday.

District buildings were closed Friday because of the snowstorm, but Superintendent Dwight Bonk said the "messages of concern" included both Wappingers Jr. High School and Roy C. Ketcham High School.

"I would like to reiterate that any perceived threat against our schools is taken very seriously, as the safety of our staff and students is our top priority," he said in a message posted on the district's website.

"Such threats will be met with the full force of a joint investigation from our District & Building Administration as well as our partners in our Law Enforcement Agencies.

The junior high school threat was found just prior to the end of the school day Thursday in a bathroom saying a school shooting would occur at the school Monday.

Bonk said, thanks to the swift response by the school's administration and the New York State Police, the person responsible was identified and located.

Regarding the high school threat, he said it was reported to the district that someone was broadcasting a wireless hotspot signal from their personal device after the end of school Thursday.

Bonk said the person renamed their personal phone to indicate a "school shooting" was going to happen. An investigation into the matter found that the threat has been deemed non-credible.

The latest threats come after the threat of a shooting at the high school Monday, which forced officials to close on Tuesday.

He said the frequency of these types of threats has become all too common, and it needs to be impressed upon the district's students the seriousness of falsely reporting a potentially violent and heinous act.

"That being said, I am in the process of actively scheduling student assemblies with representatives from ALL of our local law enforcement agencies for our Junior & Senior High Schools," Bonk said.

The purpose of the assemblies will be to help our students understand why this type of activity is dangerous for everyone, he said.

Threats were made to the Poughkeepsie school district, causing officials to close the middle and high schools Tuesday and Wednesday. A 12-year-old was accused of threatening to bring a gun to the middle school Thursday, but the school remained open.