Today was the second official day of school in DeSoto ISD, but the morning started with law enforcement on multiple DeSoto ISD campuses. One parent’s account stated “My wife was on her way up to the school (Katherine Johnson) she made the right to go down towards the school the cops were in front of her they made a uturn pulled their guns out told her to turn the car around and leave now.”
Parents expressing concern about their students returning to campus asked if absences from today would be excused. The district responded: “Campuses have returned to regularly scheduled activities. DeSoto ISD understands the concerns that this morning’s activities may have caused and is flexible regarding parents’ decisions related to how they chose to respond regarding student attendance.”
From DeSoto ISD Regarding Campus Safety:
The DeSoto Independent School District places the safety of our students and staff of utmost importance. Campus safety alerts were issued today, Aug. 16. 2022. All campuses have been cleared and have resumed normal activity.
A timeline is provided below:
Aug. 16, 2022
Campus Safety Update – Katherine Johnson, Cockrell Hill, The Meadows and Woodridge (as of 9:20 a.m.)
As of 9:20 a.m.: All campuses have been cleared and released to normal activity. No credible threats of concern were found.
Thank you to DeSoto PD for your active and collaborative response to these concerns.
As a district, we are grateful for the proactive planning and work related to campus safety and security that provided DeSoto ISD an opportunity to respond quickly and thoroughly to these incidents.
DeSoto ISD prioritizes the safety and security of our students, staff, and schools. As a reminder, if you see any suspicious activity or want to report someone who may be in danger of harming others or themselves, you can report it anonymously to an administrator as immediately as possible or submit the information anonymously via email at report@stayalert.info or call or text +1.206.406.6485.
Aug. 16, 2022
RE: Campus Safety Update – KJTMA, Cockrell Hill, The Meadows and Woodridge (9:19 a.m.)
When matters of concern arise, we value the opportunity to update our families and school community.
This morning, local law enforcement responded to safety concerns at Katherine Johnson, Cockrell Hill, Woodridge, and The Meadows campuses.
While there is no credible threat at this time, law enforcement and administration are on campuses conducting a review. Some campuses have been placed on temporary hold pending the conclusion of each campus review.
Students and staff are safe and no credible threats are apparent at this time.
Please refrain from visiting campuses and, if possible, delay arrival until further notice.
Additional information to follow once all campuses are cleared and the holds are lifted.
Aug. 16, 2022
Campus Safety Update – KJTMA (8:26 a.m.)
This morning, DeSoto Police is responding to a campus safety threat at the Katherine Johnson campus. Law enforcement authorities and administrators are on campus reviewing the matter. While there is no credible threat, out of an abundance of caution, the campus has been placed on a temporary lockdown. Additional information to follow.
Summary:
This morning, the DeSoto Police Department received a notification regarding campus safety concerns at Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy (KJTMA).
An unknown person contacted DeSoto PD Dispatch, and based on the threat, police deployed officers to KJTMA and other district campuses out of an abundance of caution. Those campuses included: Cockrell Hill, Woodridge, and The Meadows.
While more immediate notification was sent to parents at KJTMA, subsequent notification was distributed districtwide as it became available.
Upon awareness of these concerns, all campuses of which the District identified in this matter were placed on a temporary hold out of an abundance of caution.
DeSoto PD solicited the assistance of Lancaster PD and the Dallas Sheriff’s Department to support the review of the campuses.
Please note that no immediate threat of danger was ever apparent in the District’s review of this matter and no credible threats were identified following the conclusion of law enforcement’s investigation of these concerns.
At 9:20 a.m., the campuses were released to normal activity. Additionally, administrators have been deployed to campuses and, out of an abundance of caution, the District will provide a heightened patrol throughout the remainder of the day.
DeSoto ISD Counseling Services are available at the Katherine Johnson campus to provide social-emotional counseling and resources to those who may need assistance processing today’s events.
DeSoto ISD prioritizes the safety and security of our students, staff, and schools.
Important Reminder: Make sure your contact info is up to date with your campus and you are set to receive alerts.
