Classes at Westminster High School will resume Thursday after being cancelled today because of a “disturbing” threat posted on the Internet this week.
Adams County School District 50 said it would continue to monitor and limit access to the campus the rest of the week as a precaution.
Westminster police and other law enforcement officers combed the school this morning using dogs.
“Police and administrators are confident that the building is safe and secure,” the district said in a written statement this afternoon.
School district spokesman Steve Saunders declined to go into specific details about the threat. He said someone discovered it online last night and called administrators, and they, in turn, called police before deciding to cancel classes.
“Safety is always our highest concern. We thought this was a prudent step to take, Superintendent Dr. Roberta Selleck said in the district statement. “We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding.”
Officials Wednesday weren’t yet ready to haul the threat a hoax and no suspects have been named.
If the threat was posted by a a student, suspension or expulsion is possible, but criminal charges also are possible, Saunders said..
School officials and police originally planned to have classes today with heightened security, but changed the plan when students started arriving this morning. The school’s enrollment is about 1,000 students in grades 9 through 12.
“There was no way we were going to get all these kids in and secure the building in a timely manner,” Saunders said.
Buses loaded with students were turned around and sent back to bus stops and students who walked to school were sent home.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
