EDITOR’S NOTE:
Ravena Coeymans Selkirk High School administrators were faced acted upon a treat to high school students made by a fellow student on social media. (See the story on Page 2 of this edition.)
The following is an excerpt from a public announcement made over the PA system at Ravena Coeymans Selkirk High School which was later shared to families in the district in an email from the high school principal. Another email from the RCS Superintendent Brian Bailey accompanies this message.
Good Morning,
As most of you are aware, there was a threat made against some of our students here at RCS High School. What I want you to know is that every student and their families have been notified and we have supports in place to help those that have been affected. I’m sure many of you are scared based on what is happening across the country. I want to reassure you that keeping you safe is our first priority. The Albany County Sheriff in partnership with administration, faculty, and staff, are doing everything possible to keep our building safe. As we have mentioned before, it takes the whole school community, including our students, to make safety a top priority. I am going to turn it over to Deputy Patti to talk about safety.
Officer Patti, School Resource Officer:
When you tell us information regarding a safety concern it can potentially save people’s lives. Some students came forward and I was truly appreciative for the information they brought to me. It was really, really important. I can’t express how crucial it is for people to come forward when they have information that can be a threat to someone’s life, whether it is harm to themselves or others. There has frequently been information on social media or through other sources prior to acts of violence that have occurred in our country. Again, I can’t express strongly enough how important it is when you see something say something. That is not just a slogan created by Homeland Security. It is a proven way to keep our community and country safe.
Dr. Patierne:
I would ask that all of you support those students who have been most affected by this recent event by not talking about it or resharing it in any form. We need you to support each other the way we know you can and have done in the past. If any of you have concerns or are feeling stressed or anxious, please speak to any adult and we will point you in the right direction. Have a good rest of the day RCS.
Dr. Lisa Patierne
RCS High School Principal
