R-IV school district announces threat to high school

Willow Springs High School received a threat on Tuesday, Feb. 21, announced the district in a statement. According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marty Spence, the threat was verbal in nature. Students reported hearing it, and the school’s threat assessment team took prepared and planned action to ensure school safety. The school day was not disrupted.

“We initially treat all of these potential threats as extremely serious, and regardless of the findings, we have a robust follow-up and case management process to ensure continued safety for the school community,” read the district’s statement.

Dr. Spence told Howell County News a course of disciplinary action was not determined as of Tuesday afternoon. High school administrators are “looking into all the options,” he said. The student in question was not at school as of 2:45 p.m. that afternoon.

The school campus was safe and squared away, Dr. Spence confirmed at the time of the interview.