Katie, TX (KTRK) – Parents were seen trying to pick up their students just hours after school at Paetow High School in Katy ISD, after what the district described as a disturbing text message.
SkyEye had passed high school just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, as people gathered outside the building.
ABC13 reached the area, which responded with the two letters sent to the Paetow families.
While the first letter did not mention any incidents, the second letter below indicated the text around which it refers to “school shooting.” The area confirmed to ABC13 that there was no active shooting.
“Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff at Paetow High School,
The purpose of this message is to notify you of a disturbing text message recently circulated among some of our students referring to a “school shooting”.
Katy ISD Police and Campus Management were notified of the message via anonymous advice through the SpeakUp mobile app.
Katy ISD police and management investigated the matter and determined that the threat was unfounded. However, out of extreme caution, additional police officers have been assigned to patrol the areas surrounding the campus today.
Any student involved in this matter will face disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Katie ISD Discipline Department’s Code of Conduct and the Student Code of Conduct.
We would like to reassure parents that the safety of our students is a top priority. We encourage parents to help our students understand the dangerous effects that inappropriate texting and social media posts can have.
Students, staff and the community play an important role in keeping our school safe by reporting potential threats or safety issues.
As a reminder, in addition to reporting information to school officials or law enforcement, students and parents can also use Katy ISD’s mobile app, SpeakUP, to report tips anonymously.”
According to Katie ISD, the county police department said it continues to investigate all information and rumors related to the script, and has determined that the threats are unfounded.
The district wrote that parents were able to take their children with them if they were concerned, “However, we want to assure the community that the safety and security of our students is our number one priority.”
Below is the other message written by Paetow’s manager.
Dear PHS Parents/Guardians,
I realize that recent events have made many of our parents, students, and staff concerned about safety issues on campus. I want you to know that our campus and school district takes these matters very seriously and we have provided our school with additional support, including additional police and security officers, administrative staff, and district level counselors who have been assigned to our campus to help with needs. Many of these extra employees start their assignments on our campus as early as 6:30 a.m. Also, Katy ISD Police continue to investigate all school day advice and rumors today and have determined that those who have received them so far are unfounded.
As I mentioned yesterday evening, the following steps have been taken as we continue to prioritize the safety and security of our students:
- Increase security guards
- Increased police presence
- Additional administrative staff
- Strong and reinforced work centers for employees
- Reminders for students to report problems before they happen
- Reminders for students about how to act if an event occurs
- Measures to protect instructions and reduce movement in aisles
- Systematic separation to ensure a smooth exit
- Additional disciplinary options for violators
Parents and guardians are encouraged to take this opportunity to discuss these matters with the student to ensure that they understand the seriousness of false threats and inappropriate behavior.
Our goal as a campus is to ensure that we continually promote academic achievement and positive relationships between students, parents, and staff in safe and secure learning environments. Your help in helping your students understand the importance of supporting this goal and doing their part in contributing to a positive and proud Paetow Panther culture is greatly appreciated.
Finally, as a reminder, there are several ways students and parents can help school management and law enforcement address potential safety issues, including reporting concerns to the school management or police, or submitting information on the SpeakUp mobile app.
Thanks for your continuous support.
sincerely,
Mindy Dickerson, Principal of Paetow High School”
Many schools have had to deal with the alleged threats amid continuing safety concerns.
On Tuesday, a 17-year-old high school student was arrested after he threatened to open fire at Calvin Niles Charter Schools, also in Katy.
Conroe, Heights, Aldine, Klein Forest, and Fort Bend are among the schools or areas that have experienced threats over the past two weeks.
See also: ‘It’s OK not to be unwell’: Katy ISD encourages students to report their concerns via the new SpeakUP app
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