Dear IWCS Families and Employees,
Tuesday’s incident at Smithfield High School was an event that no school community ever wants to face. While the investigation into the source of the threat remains ongoing, law enforcement has confirmed that the incident was the result of a false report. We want to take a moment to reflect on the response, reinforce several important reminders, and express our deepest gratitude to everyone involved.
First and foremost, we are thankful to report that all SHS and SMS students and staff were safe. The swift collaboration between school administration, teachers, and law enforcement ensured that the building was secured and procedures were followed exactly as they were designed. Our students remained calm, our staff responded with professionalism and care, and our School Resource Officers and responding deputies worked efficiently and courageously.
We are also deeply appreciative of the vast majority of parents and guardians who demonstrated patience and cooperation during an unprecedented dismissal process involving nearly 400 parent pickups on site. Your grace and understanding allowed law enforcement and school personnel to focus on safety and communication throughout the incident.
We do want to offer a few critical reminders for any future emergency situations:
-
Please do not call or text your student during a significant event. We know how stressful these situations are, and the instinct to reach your child is natural. However, incoming calls and messages create noise, light, and distraction that may put students at additional risk during a live threat.
-
Avoid arriving at the school unless instructed to do so. Extra vehicles and individuals on site significantly complicate law enforcement efforts and impede emergency response operations.
-
Refrain from sharing unverified information publicly. During Tuesday’s event, numerous pieces of incorrect information circulated on various platforms. These inaccuracies heightened community anxiety and diverted resources from the response effort. We will always work to keep families informed as quickly as possible, but we must also protect the integrity of active investigations.
-
Students should avoid making recordings during emergency events. Video or audio of law enforcement activity can compromise tactical response strategies and jeopardize the safety of officers and students alike.
While no community ever wants to be tested in this way, Tuesday represented the best possible outcome in a potential worst-case scenario. Everyone did exactly what they needed to do, and we are grateful for the collective effort that kept our school community safe.
The investigation into the false report that led to Tuesday’s threat response is still ongoing. If you or your student have information that may assist investigators, please contact your child’s school.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support.