HPHS Evacuates After New Note Surfaces

Well, Highland Park High School students had to evacuate just before 3 p.m. today because of yet another suspicious note found on campus (see the post below this one for context).

We got word from photographer Chris McGathey and sports editor Chuck Cox, who were just there in person; Chuck tells me the new note was in the boys’ bathroom, and that district officials said it wasn’t more alarming than yesterday’s — everyone is just erring on the side of caution. School should be in session as usual tomorrow, but a helicopter is still circling above campus in the meantime.

Here’s the notice HPISD parents saw this afternoon:

Highland Park High School will dismiss at 2:40 today. The decision was made after another suspicious note was discovered today on campus.

We are working with police, and while we do not believe there is an imminent threat, we are dismissing early today out of caution. We ask that parents who pick up their children meet them at the usual location.

We will continue to monitor the campus closely, and we encourage parents to talk to their children about how seriously any threats, written or otherwise, are taken on campus.

We will continue to keep you informed.

By Georgia Fisher Jan. 17, 2013 | 3:59 pm | 14 Comments | Comments RSS
14 comments to "HPHS Evacuates After New Note Surfaces"
  1. Avid Reader @ January 17, 2013 at 4:23 pm
    Any info on what either of the “suspicious” notes included would be appreciated.

  2. Charles Mitelhaus @ January 17, 2013 at 4:32 pm
    Same exact thing happened at my boys school in Niwot, Colorado.

    http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_22352318/bomb-threat-discovery-hit-list-close-niwot-high?source=pkg

    Seems like a number of these kids feel the need for attention. Quite sad actually.

  3. Hp @ January 17, 2013 at 4:33 pm
    Any updates of what notes contained in the writing?

  4. JustAnotherMom @ January 17, 2013 at 5:46 pm
    DMN reports that a district representative described the note as a bomb threat.

  5. Georgia Fisher @ January 17, 2013 at 6:16 pm
    Hi all,

    I’ll update you as soon as we have a little more information. I’d love to know what the notes said.

    @JustAnotherMom: I heard the same thing at some point, but haven’t confirmed as much.

  6. Chuck Cox @ January 17, 2013 at 6:52 pm
    My understanding is it was a bomb threat.

  7. HP Parent @ January 17, 2013 at 7:56 pm
    I have heard from other parents that the first note actually mentioned a gun being in the school and that people who had bullied the author of the note would be shot. If that is true us parents have the right to know such a horrific thing!

  8. Bibliomaniac @ January 17, 2013 at 8:14 pm
    From DallasNews.com:

    Helen Williams, a district spokeswoman, said both notes were bomb threats, and both were in the same bathroom.

    University Park police used bomb-sniffing dogs to search the building. There will be heightened security at school Friday and school officials will continue to look for any students who may have been involved.

  9. Dscott @ January 17, 2013 at 8:21 pm
    I spoke with an officer on site who was waiting for bomb squad to sweep the building tonight. He said it was routine process and expected low probability of finding anything. Fingers crossed that’s true and that the find out who wrote the note.

  10. Cat girl @ January 17, 2013 at 8:50 pm
    Volleyball banquet was evacuated at HP tonight. I drove by & a firetruck, ambulance & the bomb squad was there. Supposedly, a bomb was found, but that is not confirmed. Something had to have happened for them to be evacuated.

  11. Vballmom @ January 17, 2013 at 10:12 pm
    Yes- the notes were bomb threats. The building was evacuated at 6 pm so that the dogs and squad could investigate. Apparently , they found something suspicious enough to cause them to shut down the building entirely. There was a need for more squads and searches (they still felt like it was a hoax – possibly cleaning fluid or something else toxic but understandably had to still make sure there was no danger). The consequence was the cancellation of the Volleyball end of year banquet as well as added security, nummerous police, dogs, helicopters and special bomb squads. Unfortunately, the Volleyball banquet food had already arrived , which resulted in a loss of approximately $2000 in expenses. What a waste- I wonder if the prankster is aware it is a third degree felony?

  12. Cat girl @ January 17, 2013 at 10:16 pm
    Sounds like they think it was a prank. Letter just went out to parents. Dogs picked up on chemical scent that turned out to be harmless so banquet was evacuated as a precaution. School will resume tomorrow.

  13. A. B. @ January 18, 2013 at 10:51 am
    Hopefully we can bill the prankster for the volleyball dinner, bomb squad, helicopters, etc.

  14. hp parent @ January 18, 2013 at 11:18 am
    This is so unfortunate. Feel so sorry for the Vball players and parents who have worked so hard and have had such a great season. Major rip off for the seniors. Feel sorry for taxpayers who pay for this. I hope this prankster/d-bag gets caught and gets his butt put in jail.

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