Dear APCSD families,
This morning an Averill Park High School student was arrested by the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department for allegedly making a threat against the school community.
The alleged threat was made known to APCSD administration on Thursday around dismissal. The District immediately contacted law enforcement. The Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department responded by immediately conducting an investigation. It was determined that there was no credible threat and at no time were students or staff in danger.
The District has fully cooperated with law enforcement throughout this process. Threats of all kinds, even if made in jest, are taken very seriously and students who have made such threats face serious consequences through our school’s Code of Conduct, as well as potential criminal charges.
We are grateful for the relationship and cooperation we have with our School Resource Officer and the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Department, and for the speed at which they react to safety issues that arise within our district. Please know that we take the safety of our students and staff very seriously.
This incident is a perfect example of our school community taking the mantra of “if you see or hear something, say something” seriously. Please reinforce with your children the importance of reporting any suspicious activity to an adult as soon as possible.
We acknowledge the fact that you have received more than one piece of correspondence regarding situations of this nature during this school year. We would like to reassure you that our school district is just as safe as it has ever been. However, we are committed to a school/community culture that errs on the side of transparency and safety.