School: Neillsville H.S. - Note Prompts Evacuation (Nov 2022)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Gaier, Mankowski

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/16/2022

Note Prompts Evacuation at Neillsville High (- 2022)

By Edward Dubois

Neillsville High School classes were interrupted, all activities cancelled for the day, and students and faculty were evacuated from the building in the wake of a written bomb threat found in the building.

“The Neillsville Police Department was called to the Neillsville School to investigate a concern brought to our attention by school officials. The responding officers and school officials decided to evacuate the building and perform a comprehensive search as a safety precaution. This matter remains under investigation, and there are no immediate risks to our students or citizens,” Neillsville Chief of Police Jim Mankowski said.

“[The] evacuation was as early as w could possibly make it. Students and staff were asked to evacuate the building and take any of the belongings they needed to take home with them so that they didn’t have to come back in the building. Buses were quickly available for the kids that normally ride them,” Superintendent John Gaier said.

Parents were sent an update by text and email sharing the public statements posted on the district Facebook page.

The school had sent out two updates within two hours of each other, one announcing the evacuation and investigation, and another to confirm the all-clear, meaning no bomb was found within the building.

“I was a part of the de-briefing with the law enforcement and the fire department at the end of the search last night,” Gaier said.

Gaier did not remember the last time the school had received a hand-written threat, but the school has had them in the past.

“Some of the older threats were easily identified as new [when they were discovered] based on where they were located and seen. It was difficult to determine how old others were based on where they were located.

“[…] an investigation will continue to see if we can determine who wrote the threat,” superintendent, John Gaier said.

“The threat was brought to the attention of the high school principal in the late afternoon. I met with the high school principal and law-enforcement at approximately 2:40.”

The note offered no clues at first glance to police or staff.

“It is very difficult to determine when it may have been written. Based on where it was found, it could have been quite some time ago.”

Since the search found no immediate threat, school functions and activities resumed the next day.

“I debriefed with the staff [the next morning,]” Gaier explained when asked about ongoing actions on the school’s part. “All were reminded to listen for any information from students about who may have written the threat. We debrief anytime there is an out of the ordinary incident like this.”

“We have monthly drills for either fire drills/evacuations, severe weather and lockdown drills,” Gaier said, elaborating on the school. “Staff will use the public statements made by the school last evening to their students if the need arises.”