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Parents, Students, and Community Members: I want to thank all of you for your concern, patience, and thoughtful questions about the recent threat situation the school experienced on Tuesday. All of us are keenly aware of the seriousness of such issues. It is scary. It is frustrating. It is stressful. One of the toughest things about it is communication. The school is stuck between a rock and hard place when it comes to disseminating information. There are all kinds of considerations: safety of students and staff, public’s right to know, individual’s right to privacy, and the list goes on. I have listed a few questions we received since the announcement on the threat. These are questions we can answer so I hope this helps with some of the apprehension all of us experience in these situations. Anytime you have questions please do not hesitate to call or set up an appointment.

Questions of the Week:

Was there anything about the threat which might have caused school to be cancelled? No. In this situation a teacher trusted her instincts and reported to administration. We addressed the issue immediately. We followed our process and procedures which resulted in a finding of no imminent danger. If we had felt there was something imminent we would not have had school on Wednesday.

Why was there law enforcement presence at school? An SRO works with several schools so it’s not unusual for the deputy to be at school. Given the circumstance, however, we thought it might give students and staff some reassurance if the deputy was here all day.

Is the school going to be locked down? Not at this time.

Why wasn’t more information given to the media? There is a fine balance to find between informing the public and creating widespread speculation. The media had access to the same statement as everyone else.

Will the teachers be discussing the situation with students? Teachers will not actively engage students for discussion but if students indicate a desire to talk about it there will be conversations in class or with our school counselor.

Does Charlo have mental health counseling available? Yes we do and if you would like to visit with our counselor please let us know. If your student would like to visit with the counselor she is available throughout the day.

If you have a question of the week please email it to [email protected].

Vaccination Clinic: On Tuesday, Apr. 9, 2024 the Lake County Health Department will be offering a vaccination clinic at the school. This especially affects 6th graders as it is Montana Law for have current vaccinations for Tdap before they are allowed to enter school as a 7th grader. Registration is electronic this year. Follow this link to sign up: https://form.jotform.com/231447220322140. If you have questions please call 406-883-7288.

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