[SchoolMatters] Important Announcement from Superintendent Pamela Moran

Thu Feb 16 18:25:25 EST 2006

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This message is not an official communication of the Albemarle County School
Board. It is a private, e-mail-only newsletter written by Brian Wheeler,
At-Large Member of the Albemarle County School Board. 
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This statement and a media release issued jointly with police department can
be found on the school division website.
 <http://www.k12albemarle.org/Board/NewPages/happening.htm>
http://www.k12albemarle.org/Board/NewPages/happening.htm

Brian Wheeler

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Important Announcement from Superintendent Pamela Moran 
February 16, 2006 

Dear Albemarle County Public Schools Community, 

Earlier this month Albemarle County Public Schools faced a safety threat
directed at two of our high schools. On February 3, 2006 I reported to you
that Albemarle County Police Department had arrested three of our students
and charged them with criminal offenses in connection to an alleged plan for
violent acts on the Albemarle and Western Albemarle High School campuses
several months from now. At that time, I made a commitment to share
information with our community when serious safety issues arise. In keeping
with our commitment to inform you of changes, I am providing this update to
share facts about a new development. 

Today the Albemarle County Police Department announced it arrested and
charged with criminal offenses a fourth student in connection with the
alleged plan first reported on February 3, 2006. The student is a
13-year-old male from Jack Jouett Middle School who was arrested on campus
February 15, 2006 before school was dismissed for the day. The Police
Department arrested the student within an hour of receiving the Detention
Order that allows the arrest to be made. The student was charged with two
felonies and is in custody at the Blue Ridge Juvenile Detention Center. He
is charged with "conspiring, confederating, or combining with another to
commit a felony, to wit: by use of any explosive device; destroy, in whole
or in part, a schoolhouse" and "conspiring, confederating, or combining with
another to commit a felony, to wit: murder." He also faces disciplinary
action from the School Division per policy. The name of the arrested student
will not be released because he is a juvenile. 

Earlier this month, one Western Albemarle High student, one Albemarle High
student, and one Jack Jouett Middle student were arrested in connection with
the alleged plan. Western Albemarle High School and Albemarle High School
were identified in the alleged plan as the locations for the violent acts to
take place. No other campuses were identified as possible locations and no
specific individuals were identified as possible victims. Yesterday, the
Western Albemarle High student had a third felony charge placed against him
for "conspiring, confederating, or combining with another to commit a
felony, to wit: by use of any explosive device, destroy, in whole or in
part, a schoolhouse." The others face two felony charges each. All four
students arrested this month by police remain in custody at the Blue Ridge
Juvenile Detention Center. 

The Police Department has assured us that at no time during the
investigation were our students and staff in immediate danger. 

The most recent arrest was announced by the Police Department at 2:30 p.m.
today by sharing a news release with local media. The news release is posted
on the Albemarle County Public Schools website at www.k12albemarle.org. The
School Division immediately notified school principals and additional steps
were taken at Jack Jouett Middle School to inform staff and parents. Our
teachers and guidance counselors remain focused on addressing any student
concerns. We will continue to closely monitor our students and staff to meet
their needs. If you are a parent with a child who is unusually upset over
these events, please contact your student's guidance counselor or the school
office immediately and request support. We will work with you to meet your
child's needs. 

The Police Department today said it has exhausted all current leads in this
case. The Police Department welcomes any additional information and will
investigate new leads as they arise. People with information to report
should contact Detective Gary Pistulka at 296-5807. 

In criminal investigations like this, the Police Department is very limited
in the information it can provide to the School Division and public. We
again express our appreciation to the Police Department for working
cooperatively with the School Division throughout the investigation and for
being supportive of our desire to share the information we were authorized
to release with our community as quickly as possible. We will maintain our
close working relationship with the Police Department. While we welcome
questions about the School Divisions response to this issue and our safety
plans, we are not able to answer questions about the investigation. We ask
for your understanding in this regard. 

Safety issues are taken very seriously in Albemarle County schools. We are
taking actions at the Division-level to learn from this experience and
improve: 

*	Nationally known threat assessment expert Dr. Dewey Cornell,
director of the Virginia Youth Violence Project and a professor at the
University Of Virginia Curry School Of Education, will work with school site
and Division administrators to conduct a review of its crisis prevention and
response procedures. 

*	Albemarle County Police Officers trained as site security
specialists will work with school staffs to conduct safety reviews of
campuses. 

*	The School Division and police department are partners in a grant
that will provide funding to expand and upgrade campus video security
systems at the comprehensive high schools and middle schools. Each year a
schools video security system will be upgraded. 

*	Electronic communications were an issue in the investigation of the
arrested students which prompted the Division to develop an information
sheet with online safety tips for families. This week the information sheet
will be posted to school websites and the Division website to help parents
and students learn how to navigate the Internet safely. 

*	Every school in the Division maintains a crisis plan to outline
roles and procedures for coping with a variety of incidents from natural
disasters to on-campus violence. We are constantly reviewing each schools
plan to ensure they are up-to-date based upon these kinds of situations. The
plans can be viewed in school offices. 

Of all the prevention and intervention measures, the most important is to
have open lines of communication between home and school. We ask parents to
talk with their students about these recent events using the facts provided
in this publication. It helps to combat rumors and assure students of their
safety while at school. Events like this continue to remind us that the most
important thing a student, parent, staff or community member can do to help
us keep our schools safe is to share any information about possible safety
issues with an administrator, counselor, or our School Resource Officers. 

We all share a strong commitment to provide students with safe learning
environments. It is a priority because we believe when students feel safe
they are more focused on learning. We welcome your continued partnership in
keeping Albemarle County Public Schools safe places for students to learn. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Pamela Moran 
Superintendent 

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Brian Wheeler
 <mailto:bwheeler at albemarlematters.com> bwheeler at albemarlematters.com
 <http://www.wheeleronboard.com/> http://www.wheeleronboard.com
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