Families and Students:
We are aware of a social media threat that is circulating that states all schools in Joliet will have “2 students with a weapon inside each school.” The Joliet Police Department is investigating.
Out of an abundance of caution we will search all students as they enter school tomorrow.
The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority.
Families & Students:
We are aware of a social media post in which a student posted the following on snapchat: “Hey I’ve been hearing from other people that they aren’t going to school tomorrow because they are hearing a threat of a shooting so do you know anything about that.”
We confirmed that there was not a threat; however, a screenshot of this post has been circulating on social media this afternoon. We are asking students and parents to refrain from posting or re-posting matters pertaining to school safety on social media. The use of social media in this way is requiring hours of investigation by law enforcement and school personnel. This continues to cause a substantial disruption to our schools. Use of social media in this way from students can result in school discipline.
Thank you for your cooperation.
JTHS Safety Reminder: West Secure and Hold Protocol Follow-Up and Supports Available
Families & Students:
Last Friday, Joliet West High School was placed on a secure and hold protocol due to a social media threat that was found to be unsubstantiated by the FBI and to have originated in California. We thank our students who reported this post to school officials, our law enforcement agencies and staff for their quick response, and our families for their patience as we conducted an extensive search of West Campus out of an abundance of caution. Our top priority is, and will always remain, the safety of our students and staff.
We know that it was a frustrating and scary situation for students, staff and families. For safety reasons and because the situation was being investigated by law enforcement, we were not able to share any specific information, but we wanted to share the timeline of events that occurred with our students, staff and families. Below is timeline of what occurred on Friday:
· At the conclusion of the 5B lunch period on Friday, September 13, 2024, numerous students began reporting a rumor that was circulating within Joliet West that there was a threat of a weapon being in the building to teachers and school administrators.
· The students who made the initial reports did not have any specific information, so the school initiated the “Hold” and “Secure” protocols.
· JPD dispatched additional officers to Joliet West to assist as needed and they remained at the school through the eventual dismissal of students and staff.
· While collaborating with JPD to gather more specific information, Joliet West Administration decided to initiate a search of all classrooms, lockers, and students.
· After the search process was completed, and no weapons were found on the premises, it was deemed safe to dismiss students and staff from the school.
· While the threat was ultimately determined to not be directed at Joliet West, the decision to initiate the Standard Response Protocols was made to ensure the safety of students and staff while allowing time for JPD to investigate the situation thoroughly.
Social Media Reminder
Unfortunately, there is a nation-wide trend of non-credible, non-specific, and threatening social media posts circulating that warn of actions that could cause danger to schools.
We ask that our families talk to their student(s) about the importance of reporting social media threats directly to a school official, law enforcement, or a trusted adult and not reposting or sharing threatening social media posts or rumored threats and unverified information with others through social media platforms. JTHS and law enforcement always take every social media threat seriously and conduct a thorough investigation. Re-posting social media threats can cause unnecessary alarm and detract from valuable police and school resources needed for investigations.
At JTHS, there are many ways to notify us such as reaching out to a staff member, calling the school, using the Contact Us feature on the jths.org website, or emailing info@jths.org. You can also report concerns anonymously to the School Violence Tip Line by calling 1-800-477-0024.
Support Available
We recognize that, even though the threat was ultimately determined to be related to another school, the events of Friday can be difficult for all of us to process. In an effort to help the Joliet West community move forward in a positive direction, Joliet West staff will be showing a video to all students at the start of Period 2 thanking those who reported the threat, reviewing all five of the standard response protocols, and providing an overview of emotional supports available and how to access them. Students are encouraged to speak to their counselor or school social worker if they need assistance. Additional resources for students and families are available on the district website HERE.
We are grateful for the patience and cooperation of our students, families, and staff members.
We thank you for working in partnership to keep our school safe.
Families & Students:
Last Friday, Joliet West High School was placed on a secure and hold protocol due to a social media threat that was found to be unsubstantiated by the FBI and to have originated in California. We thank our students who reported this post to school officials, our law enforcement agencies and staff for their quick response, and our families for their patience as we conducted an extensive search of West Campus out of an abundance of caution. Our top priority is, and will always remain, the safety of our students and staff.
We know that it was a frustrating and scary situation for students, staff and families. For safety reasons and because the situation was being investigated by law enforcement, we were not able to share any specific information, but we wanted to share the timeline of events that occurred with our students, staff and families. Below is timeline of what occurred on Friday:
· At the conclusion of the 5B lunch period on Friday, September 13, 2024, numerous students began reporting a rumor that was circulating within Joliet West that there was a threat of a weapon being in the building to teachers and school administrators.
· The students who made the initial reports did not have any specific information, so the school initiated the “Hold” and “Secure” protocols.
· JPD dispatched additional officers to Joliet West to assist as needed and they remained at the school through the eventual dismissal of students and staff.
· While collaborating with JPD to gather more specific information, Joliet West Administration decided to initiate a search of all classrooms, lockers, and students.
· After the search process was completed, and no weapons were found on the premises, it was deemed safe to dismiss students and staff from the school.
· While the threat was ultimately determined to not be directed at Joliet West, the decision to initiate the Standard Response Protocols was made to ensure the safety of students and staff while allowing time for JPD to investigate the situation thoroughly.
Social Media Reminder
Unfortunately, there is a nation-wide trend of non-credible, non-specific, and threatening social media posts circulating that warn of actions that could cause danger to schools.
We ask that our families talk to their student(s) about the importance of reporting social media threats directly to a school official, law enforcement, or a trusted adult and not reposting or sharing threatening social media posts or rumored threats and unverified information with others through social media platforms. JTHS and law enforcement always take every social media threat seriously and conduct a thorough investigation. Re-posting social media threats can cause unnecessary alarm and detract from valuable police and school resources needed for investigations.
At JTHS, there are many ways to notify us such as reaching out to a staff member, calling the school, using the Contact Us feature on the jths.org website, or emailing info@jths.org. You can also report concerns anonymously to the School Violence Tip Line by calling 1-800-477-0024.
Support Available
We recognize that, even though the threat was ultimately determined to be related to another school, the events of Friday can be difficult for all of us to process. In an effort to help the Joliet West community move forward in a positive direction, Joliet West staff will be showing a video to all students at the start of Period 2 thanking those who reported the threat, reviewing all five of the standard response protocols, and providing an overview of emotional supports available and how to access them. Students are encouraged to speak to their counselor or school social worker if they need assistance. Additional resources for students and families are available on the district website HERE.
We are grateful for the patience and cooperation of our students, families, and staff members.
We thank you for working in partnership to keep our school safe.
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