East Greenbush, New York – On Monday, September 11, 2023, the East Greenbush Central School District took immediate action by implementing lockdown in response to a security threat following a voicemail at Howard L. Goff Middle School. The announcement was made at approximately 8:05 a.m., with the school district swiftly addressing the situation to ensure the safety of its students and staff.
A statement posted on Facebook outlined the nature of the threat and the measures being taken. During lockdown, the school’s grounds and buildings are secured, but the regular school day continues. However, outdoor activities, including Physical Education and Recess, are suspended, and no unnecessary visitors are allowed on school premises. Additional law enforcement personnel were deployed to all schools in the district throughout the day.
As part of the response, the East Greenbush CSD updated parents and guardians at 8:40 a.m., informing them that school buses with students on board would be rerouted to private staging areas outside of the school premises until law enforcement arrived at each school. Once law enforcement personnel were present, the buses would transport students to their respective schools. Parents and guardians arriving to drop off their children were instructed to leave the school property until receiving confirmation of law enforcement’s presence.
Law enforcement officers reportedly arrived at Bell Top, Genet, Green Meadow, and Red Mill schools around 8:51 a.m., enabling students on those buses to continue their journey to school. Parents and guardians were also allowed to drop off their children at this time. As of the East Greenbush CSD’s update at 9:03 a.m., police had arrived at DPS (Donald P. Sutherland Elementary School), and buses were in the process of transporting students to school. Parents and guardians were permitted to drop off their children at DPS as well.
For the remainder of the day, police officers maintained a presence outside all East Greenbush CSD schools as a precautionary measure. Until further notice, the lockdown status remained in effect, reflecting the district’s commitment to prioritizing the safety and security of its students and staff.
The East Greenbush Central School District continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the security threat and ensure the well-being of everyone within the school community.
