Press Release - April 2019 - This press release was written for my Writing for Mass Communications class. The information in this press release was provided by the professor and is fictitious.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Emma Hynek,
Director of Communications
Phone: 803-555-5555
Email: hynekec@gmail.com
Columbia Schools Respond to Anonymous Threats
Richland One Activates Modified Lockdown Procedures in Three Schools
COLUMBIA, S.C., March 25—Richland County School District One implemented modified lockdown procedures this morning at Columbia High School, AC Flora and Dreher High School after the district received anonymous threats towards the three schools.
Richland One notified the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, SLED and the three schools upon receiving the threats. The schools immediately activated the appropriate security procedures and went into modified lockdown.
The district will activate a modified lockdown if the threat may not be specific to the campus and instead is affecting the general area near the campus. All entrances to the school are locked and “controlled access” to the building is permitted. Regular instructional and operational activities continue only inside the building. Designated district staff, law enforcement and emergency support personnel may be in the area and work together to determine the appropriate steps to keep the facility safe.
School officials and law enforcement searched school grounds and found no weapons or suspicious packages. “The individual sending the threats did so anonymously through an online remailer service, making it challenging for officials to trace the source,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. “However, we will continue to try to identify this individual.”
According to Superintendent of Richland One, Dr. Craig Witherspoon, all families have been contacted and a full investigation is now underway.
Director of Security and Emergency Services Richland One Joe P. Fraley stated, “The safety of Richland County staff and students is and always has been our number one priority.”
Dr. Witherspoon will be holding a press conference tonight at 5:00 p.m.
Richland One is the ninth-largest school district in South Carolina, with 24,000 students, 52 schools and special centers. The students of Richland One represent 57 countries and 26 different languages. There are several different academic and extracurricular programs offered by Richland One including Montessori programs, International Baccalaureate, world languages and ESOL programs, visual and performing arts programs and career and technology education programs. It is the mission of Richland One to maintain a safe and successful learning environment for every student.
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