Triangle-Dumfries, VA
Schools
Wanted Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Covington Harper Elementary School, Police Say Wanted Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Covington Harper Elementary School, Police Say
Wanted Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Covington Harper Elementary School, Police Say A Maryland woman is at large after allegedly calling in a bomb threat to a Northern Virginia elementary school, triggering a police investigation and arrest warrant, officials said. The Prince William County Police Department says officers responded just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2, to Covington-Harper Elementary School in Dumfries after receiving a report of a phone threat. The caller — later identified as 32-year-old Nidera Fortune of Fairmont, Maryland — allegedly called in a bomb threat to the building, prompting school officials to contact police. Investigators quickly determ…

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by Zak Failla
Bellport-Brookhaven-East Patchogue, NY
Schools
Veteran Ridge Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother: 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students Veteran Ridge Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother: 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students
Veteran Ridge Teacher Dies Weeks After Brother: 'Unwavering Dedication' To Students A beloved Long Island teacher who spent nearly 25 years shaping young minds died just weeks after her brother. Laurette LaPrarie, a fourth grade teacher at Ridge Elementary School, died Sunday, March 23, at the age of 56, according to her obituary. A cause of death was not given. LaPrarie’s death came just weeks after that of her brother, physical education teacher Jacque LaPrarie Sr., of Farmingville, relatives said. “It is with an extremely heavy heart and deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news of the passing of one of our most beloved teachers Mrs. Laurette LaPrarie,” reads a…

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by Michael Mashburn
Gaithersburg, MD
Schools
Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say
Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say A student was injured in a reported assault Wednesday afternoon at Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery County, prompting a lockdown and police response, officials said. Officers with the Montgomery County Department of Police were called to the school shortly before 2:00 p.m. on April 2, after reports of an assault on campus, the department said in a post on X. One student was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. No other injuries have been reported. As a precaution, the school was initially placed on lockdown before transitioning to a shelter-in-p…

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by Zak Failla
Yonkers, NY
Schools
New School Planned In Former Housing Complex Building In Yonkers New School Planned In Former Housing Complex Building In Yonkers
New School Planned In Former Housing Complex Building In Yonkers A new school will be built at the site of a former housing complex in Westchester, officials revealed.  Yonkers city officials announced on Tuesday, April 1, that a new Pre-K through 8th grade school will be built at the former Mulford Gardens housing complex, adjacent to Grant Park.  The facility will accommodate up to 800 students and be modeled after the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Community School, which opened in September 2024.  According to a social media post from the City of Yonkers, the new school will feature an auditorium, full gym, library, music and art rooms, medi…

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by Ben Crnic
Aldie, VA
Schools
Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address
Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address The governor is heading back to Lynchburg — and this time, he’s got the mic. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will deliver the keynote address at Liberty University’s 52nd Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 9, the school announced this week. “The opportunity to address Liberty University’s Class of 2025 is a tremendous honor,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Liberty’s commitment to academic excellence and steadfast faith equips its graduates to lead with conviction and purpose. "I look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with the graduates, their families, and the entire Liberty co…

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by Zak Failla
Chester, PA
Schools
20 School Staffers Charged With Abusing Students In Chester County Charter School Program: DA 20 School Staffers Charged With Abusing Students In Chester County Charter School Program: DA
20 School Staffers Charged With Abusing Students In Chester County Charter School Program: DA Dozens of vulnerable children were allegedly restrained, pinched, and physically punished inside a Pennsylvania charter school by the adults entrusted to protect them, prosecutors say. Twenty former staff members of Chester Community Charter School now face charges in what authorities are calling a sweeping abuse scandal that left more than two dozen students — some as young as 5 — traumatized. “This case is every parent’s nightmare,” Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said in a statement. “We send our children to school expecting the adults will keep them safe, not abuse t…

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by Zak Failla
Bethlehem, PA
Schools
Hanover School Principal Placed On Leave Following 'Weekend Incident' Hanover School Principal Placed On Leave Following 'Weekend Incident'
Hanover School Principal Placed On Leave Following 'Weekend Incident' The principal of a Pennsylvania elementary school was been placed on leave Monday, March 31, following a "weekend incident," according to a message posted to the school's website. "Effective immediately, Ms. Hines is on a leave of absence from her duties as Principal of Hanover Elementary School until further notice as a result of an incident that transpired this weekend," school officials said in the statement. "We are unable to provide additional details as the investigation is ongoing." In the interim, Bethlehem Area School District Supervisor of Equity Initiatives and former elementary …

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by Cecilia Levine
Woodbridge, NJ
Schools
Woodbridge Installing Metal Detectors At High Schools: Superintendent Woodbridge Installing Metal Detectors At High Schools: Superintendent
Woodbridge Installing Metal Detectors At High Schools: Superintendent The Woodbridge Township School District is installing metal detectors at its high schools after a student brought a loaded gun to school earlier this month. On Tuesday, March 18, a 17-year-old was arrested at Woodbridge High School after a loaded gun was found in his backpack, after he sent another student threatening text messages, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Woodbridge Township Police Director Joseph Nisky said. Superintendent Joseph Massimino said the district had received a positive response to using metal detectors at athletic and co-curricular events this scho…

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by Sam Barron
Stonington-North Stonington, CT
Schools
North Stonington School Social Worker Charged With DWI, Cops Say — District Won't Address It North Stonington School Social Worker Charged With DWI, Cops Say — District Won't Address It
North Stonington School Social Worker Charged With DWI, Cops Say — District Won't Address It A Connecticut woman who was arrested after police said she was driving intoxicated down the wrong side of I-395 at high speeds, nearly crashing into multiple vehicles, reportedly worked as a school social worker, Daily Voice has learned.  Cailin Sorder, 34, of Griswold, was charged on Saturday, March 22, with operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, driving the wrong way on a limited-access highway, engaging police in a pursuit, interfering with an officer, and first-degree reckless endangerment, Connecticut State Police said. Original Report: Intoxicated Wrong-Way…

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by Josh Lanier
College Park, MD
Schools
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction It's not easy being green, or delivering an epic commencement speech.  But Kermit the Frog, a Peabody Award winner and best-selling author (and muppet) will do both in May, when he will return to the campus where he was first brought to life (by creator and alum Jim Henson, Class of 1960) to deliver the commencement speech in May. The school made the announcement this week, and the internet's reaction is everything you could've ever hoped for. "Kermencement," one absolute genius commented on UMD's post on Facebook. Others begged for the event to be live-streamed, while many …

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by Zak Failla
Prince Frederick, MD
Schools
Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Prince Frederick: Sheriff Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Prince Frederick: Sheriff
Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Prince Frederick: Sheriff A box truck driver was killed and two students were hospitalized after a crash involving a school bus in Prince Frederick on Wednesday morning, officials said. Deputies with the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly after 9 a.m. on March 26 to the area of Route 231 near Sea Gull Beach Road for a serious crash involving a school bus carrying 12 students and a box truck. According to the sheriff’s office, the bus driver and ten students were unharmed. However, two students were transported to CalvertHealth Medical Center with minor injuries. The driver of the box truck — identifi…

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by Zak Failla
Middletown-Wallkill, NY
Schools
Educator Injured Breaking Up Student Fight In School Hallway In Middletown: Superintendent Educator Injured Breaking Up Student Fight In School Hallway In Middletown: Superintendent
Educator Injured Breaking Up Student Fight In School Hallway In Middletown: Superintendent An educator was injured while trying to stop a fight involving eight students at an Orange County high school.  The incident happened on Tuesday, March 25, inside Middletown High School and lasted about 27 seconds, Superintendent Amy Creeden said in a message to the Enlarged City School District of Middletown community.  "One of our dedicated educators, who was in the hallway, intervened to de-escalate the situation and ensure safety,” Creeden wrote, adding, “Unfortunately, this educator required medical attention as a result of the altercation.” Creeden said the district is cond…

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by Ben Crnic
Boonsboro, MD
Schools
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Boonsboro HS: Fire Marshal Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Boonsboro HS: Fire Marshal
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Boonsboro HS: Fire Marshal Two Maryland high schoolers are facing charges after police say they triggered a full-blown bomb scare with a fake device that forced students to evacuate and drew in the state’s bomb squad. Two 17-year-olds from Boonsboro High School in Washington County were hit with juvenile charges following the March 19 incident, the Office of the State Fire Marshal announced on Monday, March 24. According to investigators, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office requested bomb squad assistance around 11:15 a.m. after a suspicious device was discovered inside a student’s backpack. The school was immedia…

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by Zak Failla
Waterbury, CT
Schools
Girl, 12, Charged With Hate Crime Over Incident At Waterbury Middle School: Cops Girl, 12, Charged With Hate Crime Over Incident At Waterbury Middle School: Cops
Girl, 12, Charged With Hate Crime Over Incident At Waterbury Middle School: Cops A 12-year-old Connecticut middle school student has been charged with a hate crime after a fight involving four seventh-graders at Wallace Middle School, which police say was motivated by religion and ethnicity. Waterbury police said that the student was issued a juvenile court summons for intimidation based on bigotry and bias in the first and second degrees on Friday, March 21. Police said the girl bullied two Muslim classmates at the Waterbury middle school but did not release specific details. The charge follows a comprehensive investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigation B…

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by Josh Lanier
Fredericksburg, VA
Schools
Teen Trespasser Who Shut Down Fredericksburg Schools Captured In New Jersey: Police (UPDATED) Teen Trespasser Who Shut Down Fredericksburg Schools Captured In New Jersey: Police (UPDATED)
Teen Trespasser Who Shut Down Fredericksburg Schools Captured In New Jersey: Police (Updated)  A 16-year-old from Fairfax County who triggered school closures in Fredericksburg after he was spotted trespassing on school grounds and fled from police was apprehended in New Jersey, authorities say. Fasihullah Safar had last been seen at James Monroe High School on Wednesday, March 19, according to the Fredericksburg Police Department. A School Resource Officer approached him, but Safar ran and disappeared before officers could locate him. Officials say the missing teen’s mental state raises “potential safety and security concerns,” prompting Fredericksburg City Public Schools to c…

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by Zak Failla
Manassas, VA
Schools
Teacher Accused Of Grabbing Student During Class In Osbourn Park High School: Police Teacher Accused Of Grabbing Student During Class In Osbourn Park High School: Police
Teacher Accused Of Grabbing Student During Class In Osbourn Park High School: Police A high school teacher in Prince William County is facing charges after allegedly grabbing a student by the neck during class, police said. Bobby Ray Lake, 64, was charged with assault and battery after an investigation into a disturbing incident that unfolded at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas on Wednesday, March 12, according to the Prince William County Police Department. The case came to light two days later, on March 14, when a school resource officer assigned to the building was notified of a possible assault involving a teacher and a 15-year-old female student. Police say the te…

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by Zak Failla
Fredericksburg, VA
Schools
School Shutdown In Fredericksburg After Missing Teen Trespasses, Flees: Police School Shutdown In Fredericksburg After Missing Teen Trespasses, Flees: Police
School Shutdown In Fredericksburg After Missing Teen Trespasses, Flees: Police  A 16-year-old from Fairfax County triggered school closures in Fredericksburg after he was spotted trespassing on school grounds and fled from police, authorities say. Fasihullah Safar was seen at James Monroe High School on Wednesday, March 19, according to the Fredericksburg Police Department. A School Resource Officer approached him, but Safar ran and disappeared before officers could locate him. Officials say the missing teen’s mental state raises “potential safety and security concerns,” prompting Fredericksburg City Public Schools to cancel classes on Friday, March 21, out of “a…

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by Zak Failla
Hartford, CT
Schools
Trump Signs Order to Dismantle Dept of Education Sparking Backlash From CT Democrats, Teachers Trump Signs Order to Dismantle Dept of Education Sparking Backlash From CT Democrats, Teachers
Trump Signs Order to Dismantle Dept of Education Sparking Backlash From CT Democrats, Teachers President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise this week by signing an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education. The move has thrilled many Republicans, but Connecticut Democrats fear long-lasting repercussions for the state's most vulnerable students. Trump signed the order Thursday, May 20, in the East Room of the White House, flanked by children. The goal, the president said, is to return school decisions to the states. But such a major overhaul will require congressional approval, meaning it needs some Democratic support. "Everybody knows it’s right, and the…

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by Josh Lanier
Rockville, MD
Schools
Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Rockville, Police Say Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Rockville, Police Say
Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Rockville, Police Say A 13-year-old student in Maryland has been charged after allegedly calling in a school shooting threat that put two schools on lockdown, authorities announced. The incident happened on Monday, March 17, when administrators at Parkland Middle School in Rockville received multiple phone calls from an individual claiming they intended to carry out a mass shooting, according to Montgomery County Police. School officials immediately contacted police, and School Community Engagement Officers responded to the scene.  As a precaution, Parkland Middle School was placed on a shelter-in-place lo…

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by Zak Failla
Haymarket, VA
Schools
Swastikas Discovered At PWC Schools In Separate Vandalism Cases, Police Say Swastikas Discovered At PWC Schools In Separate Vandalism Cases, Police Say
Swastikas Discovered At PWC Schools In Separate Vandalism Cases, Police Say Police in Prince William County are investigating multiple incidents of vandalism involving swastikas and other offensive drawings at two local schools, authorities announced. The latest act of vandalism was reported on Wednesday, March 19, at Ronald Reagan Middle School in Haymarket, marking the second incident in the building in less than a week, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Investigators say a school resource officer was notified around 7:57 a.m. that a swastika and derogatory language had been drawn on a bathroom stall. A similar act of vandalism was reporte…

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by Zak Failla
Woodbridge, NJ
Schools
Woodbridge Student Diagnosed With Tuberculosis: Principal Woodbridge Student Diagnosed With Tuberculosis: Principal
Woodbridge Student Diagnosed With Tuberculosis: Principal A student at Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, principal Christopher Chiera announced in a letter to parents on Friday, March 14.  School officials are working with the Middlesex County Office of Health Services to identify students and staff who may have been potentially exposed to the individual., Chiera wrote.  Those individuals identified as a close contact will be screened as a precautionary measure, Chiera said. School officials will contact parents/guardians of students identified by the Middlesex County Off…

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by Sam Barron
Patchogue-Medford, NY
Schools
Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At Patchogue School, Parents Claim In Lawsuit Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At Patchogue School, Parents Claim In Lawsuit
Twins Endured 'Years Of Terror' Being Bullied At Patchogue School, Parents Claim In Lawsuit A pair of twins endured relentless bullying at their Long Island school—physical assaults, cruel taunts, and even the circulation of an illicit photo—while their parents begged administrators for help, only to be met with silence and retaliation, a federal lawsuit alleges. The suit, filed in the Eastern District of New York in February, accuses the Patchogue-Medford School District of failing to protect the male and female students from relentless bullying, harassment, and discrimination—despite repeated pleas for help. District officials ignored formal complaints, failed to intervene in da…

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by Michael Mashburn
Boonsboro, MD
Schools
Hoax Explosive Device Discovered In Boonsboro High School, Students Questioned: Fire Marshal Hoax Explosive Device Discovered In Boonsboro High School, Students Questioned: Fire Marshal
Hoax Explosive Device Discovered In Boonsboro High School, Students Questioned: Fire Marshal A bomb squad rushed to a Maryland high school after reports of a possible explosive device inside a student’s backpack, authorities announced. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said its Bomb Squad personnel responded to Boonsboro High School in Washington County after receiving information about a possible improvised explosive device on Wednesday, March 19. With assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the bomb squad arrived within 20 minutes of the initial report and determined that the suspected item was a hoax device.  The device was rendered safe, and explosi…

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by Zak Failla
Annapolis, MD
Schools
Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Annapolis Bus Stop: Police Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Annapolis Bus Stop: Police
Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Annapolis Bus Stop: Police Some community leaders in Anne Arundel County are calling for change after a man was gunned down and an 11-year-old student was hospitalized in a shooting near an Annapolis bus stop on Wednesday. Officers responded to the 100 block of Clay Street at around 7:40 a.m. on March 19, where they found a 36-year-old man suffering from fatal gunshot wounds and the child injured. The student was taken to the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Unit for treatment and evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries, while the Annapolis Police Department launched a homicide investigation. Update as of 9 am The …

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by Zak Failla
College Park, MD
Schools
Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police
Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police A 19-year-old Maryland man turned himself in after police say he placed a hidden recording device inside a bathroom at a University of Maryland residence hall, officials announced. Noah Michael White, of Belcamp, turned himself in to the Department of Corrections in Upper Marlboro on Tuesday, March 18, after detectives identified him as the suspect in a voyeurism case on campus, according to University of Maryland Police (UMPD). The incident unfolded a week earlier on March 11 when a resident at Johnson-Whittle Hall in College Park discovered a portable recording device inside a single-use …

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by Zak Failla
East Islip, NY
Schools
Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside East Islip School, Mom Warns Other Parents Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside East Islip School, Mom Warns Other Parents
Mystery Man On Bike Stalks Girl Outside East Islip School, Mom Warns Other Parents A Long Island mother is urging parents to stay alert after her 11-year-old daughter was allegedly followed by a man on a bicycle near her middle school. In a post shared on in the “Islip Terrace and All of the Islips” Facebook group on Tuesday, March 18, Charine Andersen detailed the unsettling encounter that took place as her daughter was leaving East Islip Middle School on Spur Drive. A Hispanic man in his 60s rode up to her daughter and spoke to her, but she couldn’t fully understand what he was saying—except for the words “bunny” or “hunny," she said. When the girl asked him to repeat h…

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by Michael Mashburn
Montgomery Village, MD
Schools
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical The show must go on—even when the ceiling comes crashing down. Magruder High School drama students in Montgomery County are raising money to recover from an unexpected disaster after a chunk of the auditorium ceiling collapsed mid-performance during their spring musical, forcing them to relocate, organizers said. The Magruder Drama Department was in the middle of their second performance of "Once Upon A Mattress" when a section of the ceiling suddenly fell, sending a scare through the audience.  Despite the unexpected chaos, the student performers powered through without missing a bea…

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by Zak Failla
Royersford-Limerick, PA
Schools
Royersford Elementary School Targeted In Overnight Burglary, Forcing Closure: Police Royersford Elementary School Targeted In Overnight Burglary, Forcing Closure: Police
Royersford Elementary School Targeted In Overnight Burglary, Forcing Closure: Police Royersford Elementary School was burglarized overnight, prompting an emergency closure as police launched an investigation, district officials announced on Monday, March 17. Authorities identified those responsible for the break-in but have not released further details on what was taken or damaged. The Royersford Police Department and Spring-Ford School Police are handling the investigation. The unexpected closure left parents and staff scrambling, but officials assured families the school is safe for reopening on Tuesday. Teachers will not address the incident in class but will be prepar…

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by Jillian Pikora
Rockville, MD
Schools
Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say
Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say A reported threat at a Montgomery County middle school led to a shelter-in-place at two area schools while police investigated, officials said. Montgomery County Police responded to Parkland Middle School in Rockville late Monday morning, March 17, after receiving a report of a potential threat at the school. As a precaution, both Parkland Middle School and nearby Brookhaven Elementary School were placed under a shelter-in-place order while officers assessed the situation, police said. By 12:36 p.m., authorities reported that both schools had been moved to a modified shelter-in-place as th…

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by Zak Failla
Dauphin-Middle Paxton, PA
Schools
Baseball Bat Road Rage Incident Near Middle Paxton School: PA State Police Baseball Bat Road Rage Incident Near Middle Paxton School: PA State Police
Baseball Bat Road Rage Incident Near Middle Paxton School: PA State Police A man was arrested after he allegedly chased another person with a baseball bat and made threats during a road rage incident in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Saturday, March 15. Troopers responded to 931 Peters Mountain Road in Middle Paxton Township at 3:26 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, after reports of the armed confrontation, PSP Harrisburg said in a release. The suspect pursued the victim on foot while wielding the bat and making threats, police said. As a precaution, Middle Paxton Elementary School was placed on lockdown, though authorities clarified the incident…

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by Jillian Pikora
Southeast-Brewster, NY
Schools
Special Education Teacher Remembered By New 'Sensory Bus' For Students In Brewster Special Education Teacher Remembered By New 'Sensory Bus' For Students In Brewster
Special Education Teacher Remembered By New 'Sensory Bus' For Students In Brewster A retired school bus at a Putnam County elementary school has been transformed into a sensory-friendly haven for students in honor of a beloved special education teacher who fought a brave battle with cancer. Brewster Central School District administrators, teachers, facilities staff, and students gathered on Tuesday, March 11, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the new sensory bus dedicated to Megan Gersch, a special education teacher who died in July 2024 after a five-year fight against breast cancer.  At the front of the bus, a sunflower bearing the words “For Megan” serves as …

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by Ben Crnic