Neillsville School District responds to potential threat

Last Thursday, the Neillsville School District was placed under a precautionary lockdown after a report was made about a possible firearm on campus. Law enforcement responded and worked closely with staff to ensure student and staff safety.

“The Neillsville Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and school staff conducted a thorough investigation and found that there was no threat to our school at any point,” District Administrator Corey Peterson wrote in a letter that was posted on the district’s Facebook page at 2:49 p.m. Sept. 18. “The lockdown has been lifted, and the school day has resumed as normal. High school students having ‘B’ lunch remained on campus today but were provided a lunch from the district if they were in need.

“We recognize that situations like this can be concerning. Please know that the safety of your children is always our top priority, and we will continue to work in close partnership with law enforcement to ensure a secure environment.”

Several parents expressed concerns in Facebook comments that they felt they were not notified in a timely manner of the incident or felt the school could do more to ensure building security. In response to this, the school district held a “community critical incident debriefing session” last Friday evening at the school.