August 22nd, 2022
Dear Titan Families,
School safety is the number one priority of the South Henry School Corporation, and we take any threat to our students or staff members seriously. Nationally, we have seen unfortunate and heartbreaking events occur that have led to increased security measures at many schools. South Henry is no exception in this regard. Regular measures are taken to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and our patrons during school, extracurricular activities, and events.
With this said, near the close of Friday’s varsity football game, Tri Jr./Sr. High School administrators were made aware of a potential threat to student and patron safety that was posted on Snapchat. School officials immediately began a threat assessment and, due to limited time to investigate and out of an abundance of caution, additional law enforcement officers were called to the scene to aid with dismissal. Additionally, an internal investigation was conducted and local agencies, including law enforcement, have been contacted. As a result of the investigation, we were able to conclude that at no time on Friday night were students, staff, or patrons in harm’s way. The threat was determined to be a general statement made by a former student that made no mention of specific students, violent actions, or violent intentions. With this said, steps have and will continue to be taken to ensure the safety of the South Henry family. I am proud of the precautionary steps that our administrative team, our School Resource Officer, and local law enforcement took on Friday night in the face of challenging circumstances. While there is no easy answer as to how such situations should be handled, we can rest easy knowing that Friday's decisions were made in the best interest of student and patron safety.
We ask you to take this opportunity to speak to your student(s) about the importance of school safety. Please encourage them to report concerning activity or information to a teacher, administrator, or our SRO. Additionally, reports may be made to the Henry County Sheriff’s Department at 765-529-5669. We all have an obligation if we “see something” concerning to the safety of others to “say something” to an adult that we trust. This is true even if we are not sure a threat is credible. Rest assured, any actions and posts on social media, messaging, and other digital mediums are and will continue to be taken seriously by the district.
In closing, I want to personally assure all of our Titan students, parents, community members, and staff that we will continue to make every effort to ensure that our schools are safe and secure. We are thankful that you have entrusted us to care for your most precious assets – your children. We take that duty and responsibility very seriously.
Thank you,
Mr. Jeremy Duncan, Superintendent of Schools