Important information on safety at GFHS

Dear families, staff, and students:

We want to inform you about a serious safety issue within the Glens Falls High School community, and explain how law enforcement and school officials are responding. Students and staff members at GFHS are safe — authorities have determined there is no imminent threat to the school.

On Thursday, September 4th, a high school student reported threats involving a potential school shooting made by another student over the summer on a third-party messaging platform. The student accused of making the threats was immediately located and removed from the building, arrested by Glens Falls Police. The district took immediate steps to ensure that the student is not allowed on any school property. During the initial investigation, a second student involved was also identified and is also not allowed on any school property. The administrative team is following the student code of conduct in determining the appropriate response to this situation.  While we cannot disclose the details of these threats, they are significant, serious, and under full investigation by Glens Falls Police and other law enforcement agencies. 

The district has zero tolerance for threats of violence, whether or not they are substantiated. As the police investigation continues, all Glens Falls school leaders are reinforcing safety efforts in the following ways:

• Every day, every student at the High and Middle Schools walks through our eVolve weapon detection scanners upon entry into the building. Bag checks are also performed by hand on backpacks or other bags that set off the alert. 
• Students are not permitted to carry bags or backpacks with them during the school day. All bags are stored in student lockers or supervised spaces, which are subject to search at any time.
• All exterior doors at every school remain locked for the entirety of the school day. Building principals, assistant principals, our school resource officer, or security staff perform perimeter checks daily.
• The Student Safety Tip Line remains an important and direct way for students to contact school leaders with information and/or knowledge to help keep our school community safe. Students can email safe@gfsd.org or use the Google Form when logged in with their GFSD student account.
• The District Safety Council was briefed on the situation and notices were sent to all buildings to ensure the students do not enter any school property.
• GFHS staff, counselors, and psychologists will assist students who need support in processing and responding to the situation.

Safety is foundational to all of our learning and activities here in Glens Falls. We always commend students who “see something, say something,” and encourage parents to keep an open line of communication with their children to support the sharing of information with authorities, and NOT the spreading of rumors. If you have information to share, please reach out to Superintendent Dr. Krislynn Dengler and/or the Glens Falls Police. We appreciate the partnership with GFPD and their quick response to this situation in order to keep students and staff safe. Any other updates about the situation and investigation would come from GFPD.