WWRSD—Police are investigating an alleged threat made against Westwood Regional High School, and the school community is reacting after a student was injured in a campus altercation.
That’s according to Acting Superintendent Jill Mortimer, writing families on Nov. 17 to say the Westwood Regional School District “denounces violence directed toward any member of our school community” and that “thoughts are with the student who was injured yesterday as the result of a conflict that occurred on the campus of Westwood Regional High School.”
She promised “a strong response to what transpired.”
The previous day there was an additional police presence at Westwood Regional Middle School after boys said “horsing around” a week prior caused a stir that was determined not to be a credible threat.
All of the students involved are minors, and no identifying information is publicly available.
According to Mortimer on Nov. 17, a high school student altercation prompted her and principal Frank Connelly to meet with all students in their physical education classes, “including the classes that did not meet today, to express our deep disappointment in what happened and to denounce violence in our school.”
She said, “We advised students to come to an adult if they have an issue with someone or are worried about something.”
She added, “We reiterated the fact that services are available if they want to speak to someone confidentially about what they witnessed. Finally, we strongly stated it was wrong for any student to video this event instead of securing the assistance of an adult.”
Mortimer said that day that administrators had met with the police chiefs of the Township of Washington and Westwood.
She said, “Moreover, our guidance counselors started researching various highly regarded speakers who can come in to provide programs for students on conflict resolution and the importance of working as a school community. We will provide further information once we have specific information about our programming plans.”
Mortimer’s note came hours after she wrote families that the district had received information “about an alleged threat from a current student that could jeopardize the safety and security of the Westwood Regional High School. We are grateful to all of the community members who reached out to inform us of what they were hearing.”
Specifically, she said, the district had received information regarding a recent hostile post directed at the high school.
“We immediately notified the Washington Township Police, and they are actively conducting an investigation into not only the source but also the validity of the post. We understand that information and misinformation can spread rapidly through social media, and so the district strives to provide you with only the most accurate information as we receive it through our law enforcement partners.”
Mortimer wrote, “Please know that there will be additional police presence at the high school throughout the day Thursday and beyond that if deemed necessary. This will supplement the security measures we already have in place. We will continue to work alongside the local police departments to ensure the safety of the school.”
She said, “I want to reassure you of the fact that the alleged actor of this threat will not be allowed in the school building. We have several measures in place to prevent that from happening. As the details unfold, I will continue to keep you updated.”
The district board was to meet Nov. 18, after press time.
Middle school “threat”
Police were out at the middle school with an “additional presence” on Tuesday, Nov. 16, after finding a threat overheard against the school was found not credible.
Westwood Regional Middle School parents and staff members woke up to a notice from Mortimer on Tuesday, Nov. 16 saying that around 5:30 the previous night the administration learned a middle school student reported hearing another student make a threat against the school.
“In our ongoing efforts to keep the children and staff of our district safe, we encourage them to report suspicious activity or situations they are concerned about. It has proven to be beneficial in the past, and it worked again yesterday,” Mortimer said.
Westwood Police Chief Michael Pontillo, who has a seat on the K-12 board, told Pascack Press on Nov. 16 that this was a case of “horsing around” and “boys being boys.”
He said that there was no credible threat. “Honestly, if we got this [report] a week ago it would have been a lot easier — it would have been a lot more open and shut — but what happens is you get the telephone game, and the next thing you know you’ve got 10 people involved, because everyone heard something different, and you’ve got to chase it down.”