3 area school districts evacuated following threats
Three Washington County school districts evacuated their students Monday morning after receiving bomb threats in emails.
Threats were sent to Burgettstown, Fort Cherry and Avella school districts, according to state police.
Washington County Sheriff Tony Andronas said the initial threat was sent to Burgettstown around 8 a.m., and his department sent a K9 officer to help investigate. Andronas said the district sent students home for the day.
Burgettstown Area School District Superintendent Stephen Puskar did not return requests for comment by Monday’s deadline. Smith Township police, which covers the Burgettstown area, also did not respond prior to deadline.
Fort Cherry Superintendent Thomas Samosky posted a letter to the district’s Facebook page Monday informing parents that students were being evacuated and sent home.
Just a few hours later, Samosky provided an update that the campus was safe. The school district did not bus students to Parkway or Western Area Career and Technical Centers Monday. Students who did not attend were excused. All after-school sports and activities went on as planned.
The district will be making counselors available to students.
“We would like to thank our local law enforcement, fire departments, and transportation companies for making our students’ safety a priority and acting quickly on our behalf. Your time and attention to this matter is greatly appreciated,” Samosky wrote on Facebook.
Avella Area School District Superintendent Cyril Walther said the threats the districts received were “likely the same communication.”
Walther said students had been set home, and after-school activities were canceled Monday.
“I’m very proud of our how our students responded, and our teachers. They really did a fantastic job. I couldn’t have asked for that to have gone any better,” Walther said.