Whitefish Superintendent says safety remains highest priority

Whitefish School District Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt says the safety of students and staff remains the highest priority following threats to several schools in Flathead County Wednesday night.

Davis Schmidt said while there’s no indication of the legitimacy of the threats, they still must be approached with extreme caution. The district made the decision to close school Wednesday night and reached out to parents and students through posts on its Facebook page and website, and Davis Schmidt said she sent emails and phone calls out late last night and early this morning.

“Ultimately I’m the one who makes the decision to close school and given the nature of the situation, once those threats extended beyond Columbia Falls to our school district, it became necessary to make that decision,” she said Thursday morning.

“We have extra police around the schools,” she added. “All schools are locked and staff is not present in the schools, with the exception of a few members of our quick response team.”

Davis Schmidt said she cannot share details about the threats while the investigation is ongoing.

Whitefish schools are among the more than 30 Flathead Valley schools closed Thursday following electronic threats made late last night.

The threats originated in the Columbia Falls School District, which canceled school around 10:30 p.m. yesterday after text or email threats were made, according to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

The nature of the threats wasn’t specified, but soon the threats extended to Whitefish and Kalispell schools. All schools in Flathead County except for Pleasant Valley have been closed, according to the Flathead County superintendent of schools’ website.

“As a precautionary measure, several area schools canceled classes today,” Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said in a press release Thursday morning. “Investigators from all the involved agencies have worked throughout the night, and are continuing to follow up on leads and have identified and are speaking with persons of interest.”

The Sheriff’s Office, Columbia Falls Police Department and the FBI began a joint investigation last night into the threats.

All Whitefish school activities and athletics are also canceled, including tonight’s homecoming volleyball match against Columbia Falls.

Davis Schmidt said she is waiting on details from police to determine if school will resume tomorrow, Davis Schmidt said the district will fill in staff and students on what’s happening once the threat has passed.

“Our quick response team will get together also with other area schools to craft a statement that’s appropriate for our kindergarteners, our staff, our seniors in high school — everyone to give them as much information as we can provide them the support we can,” she said. “We do have staff on hand through our school — counselors and our psychologist that can provide support for those who do have particular concerns. The safety and welfare of our students and staff is our highest priority and we have to make decisions with that in mind.”

Extra patrols of area schools are currently taking place from all law enforcement agencies.

Whitefish Police and the Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone with any information contact the Flathead County Detective Division at 758-5610.

This joint investigation is ongoing, and further information will be released as it becomes available.