On Aug. 28, the Tredyffrin Police Department responded to a bomb threat at Conestoga from an unknown individual who called a 911 Philadelphia call in the early morning. The district received the the notice at approximately 6:15 a.m., announced a two-hour delay and later extended it to three hours, to allow local law enforcement time to clear the building of a potential threat. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., township police ultimately ruled the threat a hoax. The local police are currently conducting an active investigation.

“I think the first thing is just to make sure that the building itself is safe at the time,” said Dr. Richard Gusick, Tredyffrin Easttown superintendent. “We assisted (the police) with whatever they needed with respect to the camera system that we have in place. Our administrators worked with them if they needed to use the cameras to inspect anything.”

Once all custodians, cafeteria workers and staff had left the building, local police worked with K-9 units from other local municipalities to ensure the school building was safe. The district originally anticipated a two-hour delay but prepared for a longer delay based on the time it would take to clear the building of a possible threat.

“Our first thought was (that the search would) take at least two hours, we’ll do a delay, knowing it might last longer because you don’t know the particulars,” said Dr. Chris Groppe, director of safety and student services. “It’s really a case-by-case basis in terms of how much of a delay.”

In light of the threat, the school district administration plans to reinforce its existing safety procedures. On Sept. 3, principal Dr. Amy Meisinger emailed Conestoga parents that the school conducted a previously-scheduled lockdown drill during homeroom. During the school day, teachers reviewed emergency safety protocols with students.

The district’s website safety overview page states that the school administration is committed to ensuring the safety of its students and conducts regular safety audits of its buildings. Gusick believes the safety protocols that Conestoga implements are ever evolving.

“The set of safety procedures that we have in place is constantly under our own scrutiny and review, and if we see opportunities to make an enhancement, then we would take the opportunity to do that,” Gusick said. “It (changing the safety procedures) is an ongoing process where we’re always looking at the safety protocols that we have in place.”

In Gusick’s letter to the community following the bomb threat, he stated the district is committed to providing mental health support for students anxious about possible school emergencies. Conestoga has 10 guidance counselors and three mental health specialists who can help students navigate any anxiety they are experiencing.

“It’s hard to say to someone, ‘Just don’t worry.’ I can understand where that fear or concern comes from based upon the things that we are seeing in the broader environment. I’m sympathetic to people who are feeling that way,” Gusick said. “If a student identifies themselves or somebody else identifies them as being particularly anxious, then we’ve got a lot of folks who are qualified and experienced and (available in) helping students with anxiety.”

Nolan Talley can be reached at [email protected].