Police investigate reported threat targeting Homer High School

Homer Junior High School (photo courtesy of the Village of Homer)

HOMER, N.Y. — A letter was sent to parents and guardians of Homer High School students Friday morning regarding a potential threat to the school district.

At around 9 p.m. Thursday, several parents and staff members told police about concerning text messages between students that discussed a threat "happening at school tomorrow," the school district said in a statement.

District officials notified the Homer Police Department and New York State Police, and the threat was investigated. At 12:30 a.m., troopers notified Homer High School Principal Douglas VanEtten that the threat was not credible.

In the letter to parents, the district stated that additional police officers would be at Homer High School on Friday as a precautionary measure.

"Safety and security of students and staff are ever present in our thoughts and actions each and everyday," the letter read.

It goes on:

We appreciate the parents and staff that reached out to us and relayed the information. We teach daily: see something, say something. Please contact the police or school officials should you have concerns about a school threat.

As disconcerting as a message such as this may be, we want to thoroughly communicate and again assure you safety of all is our first priority.