School safety update

Albany police on Monday arrested a 17-year old in connection with his Sunday Facebook post indicating that he would be involved in a shooting at Albany High School.

City School District of Albany administrators and security teams worked with the Albany Police Department through Sunday night to investigate the threat. The district shared information regarding the threat with Albany High and district middle school families. The district shared information through the primary information channels, which are School News Notifier and Facebook.

The district takes seriously the concerns parents and students feel during these situations. It is important to ensure that the district provides timely and accurate information to our families to empower them to decide what is right for their children. 

On Monday morning, the district received a second report of a potential security threat as Albany High School was beginning its day. Albany Police Department were contacted and they immediately investigated. During that time, the school was put in a “lockdown.”

In a lockdown, students and staff remain in locked classrooms. No one is allowed to enter or leave the building. After about an hour, Albany police determined that the threat was not credible and the lockdown was lifted. The school is making social-emotional supports available to Albany High students who may have been affected by the lockdown.

In both cases, the district thanks the Albany police for their swift response and the individuals who came forward to bring these issues to our attention.
In addition, the district has been made aware of a video depicting a school shooting being shared via social media. This video has been altered and is not of Albany High School. 

The safety of the students, faculty and staff is of paramount importance to the City School District of Albany. The district will continue to assure that the threats, of any kind, are reported to the proper authorities, thoroughly investigated and accurately communicated to students, parents, faculty and staff. 

Sincerely,

Kaweeda G. Adams
Superintendent