Last night at approximately 11:15pm the district was made aware of screenshots of a snapchat message alleging violence against a school. The messages did not indicate a particular school as a target since the message was very general. We immediately contacted the Pennsylvania State Police and worked with them into the night to follow every possible lead to determine both the origin and validity of the message. Ultimately, with the resources of PSP, we were able to determine these messages were part of a larger SnapChat hoax and there is no credible threat to our schools. We have learned the message can be traced to Frederick County, Virginia.
These hoaxes are intended to cause fear and distrust. As parents ourselves, we fully understand how unsettling these situations are and want to assure you we take these situations seriously and conduct thorough investigations. We appreciate and encourage people to report any suspicious behavior or information to the school or law enforcement and also ask students to avoid sharing unverified alarming content online. We also want to make sure our community understands that law enforcement is well aware of SnapChat and Facebook posts that are currently circulating and together we have investigated the alleged threats and have not deemed them credible.
Chestnut Ridge would not have school if we did not have confirmation that these threats are unfounded. However, with the assistance of the state police, we determined it was safe to have school today. Schools will operate on a normal schedule today, but with an increased police presence to provide additional peace of mind.
We thank you for your cooperation as we navigate the complexities caused by social media.