Dear School Community,

As we head into the final days of the school year, I want to take a moment to address a situation that occurred today in our district and share the proactive steps we are taking to ensure the continued safety and peace of mind of all our students, staff, and families.

This morning, several schools in the Upper Cumberland, including Northfield Elementary, received a concerning phone call. Thanks to the swift, practiced response of our staff and local law enforcement, the threat was quickly addressed and determined to be a hoax.  We know that any threat, even a false one, naturally brings up a lot of worry and fear for families.  Our top priority is and will always be protecting the safety of our staff and students.

Neighboring districts are experiencing a similar wave of these hoax calls. To ensure we remain proactive and prepared, we are increasing local law enforcement presence across campuses for the remainder of the week.  Programs and ceremonies will continue as planned.  Our students have worked incredibly hard all year, and we can’t wait to celebrate their success.  

I want to commend the Northfield staff, students, and law enforcement for their response to today's stressful situation. Our emergency protocols worked exactly as designed because our teams practice them diligently all year.

Thank you for your continued trust, patience, and partnership.  It’s been a great year in White County Schools, and we look forward to celebrating the hard work of all of our students in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Kurt Dronebarger

Director of Schools