December 16, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It has come to our attention that a recent trend on TikTok wherein posts/videos discussing school shootings or a potential “school shooting day” have been circulating among students in our area and around the country. The district has not received a report that connects these threats in any way with our schools.

This issue has been referred to the Saratoga County Sheriff as well as to the NYS Police. Both have noted the uptick in these types of postings following the Oxford High School tragedy. We will continue to work with both agencies on any next steps that they advise us to take. 

We are sharing this as a reminder to please speak with your children about the critical importance of sharing any information they might have about potential threats to our students, staff, or schools. This includes reporting troubling behaviors being displayed by friends or schoolmates, or sharing observations of things that they see in school that  “just aren’t right.” 

This is a matter that we take extremely seriously, and something we wish to discuss openly. We encourage clear lines of communication between home and school, which in turn, keeps our students, staff, and faculty safe.

We understand these can be difficult conversations to have, and for many students, navigating mental health and peer relations can seem like a daunting task. However, we are always here to listen and to help. Our principals and school counselors have an open-door policy, and we strongly encourage students to meet with us to assist them with anything they may be going through. 

Should you receive any information regarding these types of TikTok videos that you believe requires immediate action, please call 911 to report it. If you have information that you believe we should be aware of, please contact your child’s building principal or me as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will continue to keep you updated with any information that we receive.

Please click here to read a news release from the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office.

Thank you very much, 

Dr. Brita Donovan