Dear Briarcliff Families,
I am writing to let you know that we are aware of multiple active reports of swatting incidents across Westchester and Putnam County School Districts including the Chappaqua and Pleasantville school communities. Computer generated calls have been made indicating active shooting situations in those districts. Swatting is a criminal harassment tactic of deceiving an emergency service (via such means as hoaxing an emergency services dispatcher) into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person's address.
Please be advised that the Briarcliff Manor School District has not received one of these calls and we have no reason to believe that there is a credible threat at any of our schools.
Precautions that are currently in place:
Our Administrative and Security teams have been placed on alert and we are following our established protocols:
- Both campuses will have BMPD present throughout the school day.
- Should we receive a call, we will immediately place the school in lockdown and will communicate further with school families.
- We will follow a regular dismissal today and monitor this situation carefully over the course of the day.
Having been present in all three schools this morning, I can confirm that students and staff are safe and happily engaged in a normal day of teaching and learning.
I will update families should the need arise.
Appreciatively,
Dr. James Kaishian
Superintendent of Schools