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ELKINS -- Both school officials and sheriffs in Randolph, Upshur and Barbour counties released statements Thursday regarding a flurry of school threats being made in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania this week.
In a message to parents and guardians Thursday, Randolph County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Dilly wrote, "We want to inform you that we are aware of recent threats being made to local schools and across the region. Please be assured that Randolph County Schools is actively working with local authorities to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff.
"Our top priority remains the well-being of our students, and we are taking all necessary precautions to address these threats. We encourage you to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to local authorities."
Meanwhile, Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon announced that both Sheriff's deputies and Elkins City Police officers "were present at all Randolph County schools this morning as a result of the current school threats reported across the state. To date there are NO CREDIBLE THREATS to Randolph County Schools.
"We are aware that these are trying times for parents, students, school staff and Law Enforcement officials. We are asking parents to remain calm and talk with your children and assure them that they are safe. We will continue to monitor this situation and continue to investigate any threats that we receive regarding our students and or our schools safety," Elbon wrote.
"If you see anything suspicious around our school grounds call 911 and report it so they can dispatch us immediately to the area. Anyone who has information about threats toward our education facilities are urged to report a law enforcement agency in your area."
Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Christine Miller said, "On the night of Sept. 11, Upshur County Schools became aware of a social media post indicating a threat to schools around West Virginia on Friday."
Miller said the school system immediately began working with the Upshur County Sheriff's Department, the state Department of Education and other law enforcement agencies on the situation.
"The information indicated that the post cannot be substantiated," Miller wrote. However, "out of an abundance of caution," Sheriff's deputies were present at Upshur schools Thursday, she said.
Upshur Sheriff J. Michael Coffman stated, "These types of threats have been made against schools in multiple neighboring states and have been deemed not credible." Coffman noted that his department and the Buckhannon detachment of the State Police "have taken appropriate action to ensure the safety and security of the students and faculty of all Upshur County Schools facilities."
A social media post from the Barbour County Sheriff's Department Thursday reads, "Last night, our deputies were able to confirm that a recent threat circulating in our area is the same one being shared across many states. The FBI is actively working to trace the origin of this threat. At this time, there is no immediate reason to believe our local schools are at risk. However, out of an abundance of caution, extra security measures are being taken.
"We are committed to ensuring the safety of our community and will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
“Stay safe and vigilant!"
Writing about the threats across the state, Jonah Adkins, director of school safety for the W.Va. Department of Education, said, "They're essentially the same, and really they're just generated to cause fear and panic I believe among our students, our our parents, our staff members."