JOINT MESSAGE FROM THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT & FERNDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Dear Ferndale families,

Last night, we were made aware of some serious threats circulating social media. Rumors about a possible school shooting and/or bomb threat were reported. When the report was made, Ferndale School District immediately contacted Ferndale Police Department who began an investigation.

In their investigation, the Ferndale Police Department was able to determine that a message did not identify any specific school, school district, county, or state and the message was sent by an unknown user. It only indicated that there would be a threat made in the near future for every school in the USA. The investigation later revealed that this message has been shared nationwide and the origin is unknown. At this moment, we do not believe there is a direct threat to our schools.

Over the recent weeks, we have all heard stories about safety concerns in both our local schools and schools across the nation. In response, we have been working closely to ensure frequent communication and collaboration with the Ferndale Police Department. This issue is not unique to Ferndale Schools. Neighboring districts have been experiencing the same issues as you may be seeing in the news. They have had reports of safety concerns and threats. In most cases, these posts turn out to be non-credible threats where students did not intend harm. However, in every case, we have a duty to immediately respond and assume that a threat could be credible until the investigation is complete. Often, this requires dozens of school district leaders and law enforcement to act on all hours of the day and even night to ensure the safety of our students. Students will often say the threat was a joke. I want to make it clear, the safety of our children is not a joke. We take every threat seriously. The Ferndale School District and Ferndale Police Department partnership works diligently and collaboratively to ensure threats are fully investigated and resolved. We can assure you that there are consequences for students who are guilty of threatening our schools, students or staff.

We want to thank the courageous student who reported the threat to FSD administration. We are proud to be a part of a community in which all of its members, take community safety seriously, we cannot do this alone.

We encourage you, parents, students, staff, community member, to report any suspicious or possibly threatening behavior or concerns as well as encouraging our children to do so. Any threats or questionable behavior can be reported to Ferndale Schools administration and/or Ferndale Police Department. Please remember that Ferndale Schools also have an anonymous reporting tool Vector Alert, formally known as Safe Schools Alert.

By working together, we can continue to ensure a safe learning and teaching environment for all students and staff. If you see something, say something.