Hello Kirtland Families,

The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We believe in open communication, especially when it comes to concerns about school safety, which is why we are reaching out to you today.

This afternoon, a high school administrator received an anonymous email from an untraceable account posing as a student who claimed to have seen a weapon in school. The message was extremely vague, did not originate from a Kirtland student, and was determined to be a hoax. Unfortunately, incidents like this—part of a national trend known as “swatting”—have been affecting schools across the country.

As soon as we received the email, we notified our School Resource Officer and the Kirtland Police Department (KPD). After a thorough assessment, it was determined that this was not a credible threat, and no further action was required by the District. However, out of an abundance of caution, we increased police presence on campus this afternoon, and we will continue to have an increased police presence tomorrow.

We understand that situations like this can be unsettling, and we want to reassure you that we take every concern seriously. The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. We encourage our students, families, and staff to remain vigilant and to report anything that may pose a threat to school safety.

Thank you for your support and partnership in keeping our school community safe.

Sincerely,

Chad VanArnhem, Superintendent