Parents of students at Hinsdale Middle School received two emails Wednesday, Sept. 11, from Principal Cory Burke after officials said a student made a reference to a weapon while making a threatening comment.
Burke stated that the student’s belongings and lockers were searched with the help of the school’s security team and no weapon was found. Burke also said the student will not be allowed to return to school until a thorough security clearance is completed.
“I take this and every incident involving the safety of students at our school very seriously,” Burke wrote in an email.
She informed parents in a follow-up email that, as part of the security effort, the school has a comprehensive security plan that includes procedures for responding to threats and emergencies.
“We have a threat assessment team at the school that works with students in these types of situations,” Burke wrote. “District and building administration collaborate and work through the extensive security process and protocols whenever a threat is reported.”
Burke said off-duty officers were deployed that day to the middle school and would remain there for the rest of the week to give students a sense of security.
“Hinsdale police assured us there is no immediate or ongoing threat,” she said.
Burke said appropriate disciplinary action for the student who reportedly threatened a possible weapon will be taken once all the information is reviewed.
“We appreciate the students who reported the concerned comment,” she said. “Their swift action helped us address the issue quickly.”
In the wake of the incident, Jeffrey Alstadt, Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181’s communications director, said ensuring the safety of all of the district’s nine schools remains a top priority.
“It was important to let the parents know what had happened, so they wouldn’t be surprised if their kids came home and said something about this,” he said. “We always want to communicate what’s going on in our schools.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for the Pioneer Press.