On Tuesday evening, there was a social media threat of a possible shooting at Alton High School that circulated online and disrupted the following school day. 

Superintendent Kristie Baumgartner said the threat was determined to not be viable after a thorough investigation by law enforcement and identifying the person responsible. Despite an all-school call relaying this information to families around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, student attendance was significantly affected.

There was a visible difference around the school in the nearly empty halls since many students opted to stay home. There was also a sense of unease every time an announcement came over the intercom.

The threat affected the learning environment in all classrooms. Social studies teacher Todd Fortschneider said he was handling his classes differently. “Half of my kids are not even here,” he added.

Students who attended classes noticed an increased presence of law enforcement in order to ensure the safety of the school community. “There are a lot more officers and security walking around today,” senior Alissa Sauls said. 

Some students said they thought the threat was just that, a threat, and not words that anyone would act on. Junior Will Hayne said, “I think it is good to take it [the threat] serious, but at the same time I think it is kind of stupid because we do get threats every year, and it is usually kids trying to get out of school.”

English teacher Daphne Gvillo said she was taking the threat seriously in her classroom. “I’ll do everything I can to keep all of us safe, whoever is in my room,” Gvillo added.

Spanish teacher Tatiana Adams said she doesn’t think the person who made the threat realized the seriousness of the situation. “I think that it is something that needs to be taken very seriously, and I feel like students don’t know how serious it is when these types of things come up,” Adams said.

Baumgartner said district schools work closely with law enforcement during the summer months “to review school safety plans, conduct security assessments/needs and schedule training for staff and practice drills for students.” 

This year, the high school implemented a new safety campaign called “See Something Say Something.” All members of the school community are encouraged to report safety concerns through text or email. 

“Input from students and staff can be a great assistance in helping to make the school as safe as possible,” Baumgartner said. Anyone can report concerns by texting SAFE2 or 72332 or emailing [email protected].