Police and school officials addressed a situation that unfolded Friday morning in Valmeyer after two students reported to their teacher that another student had allegedly made a threat to harm others via text message.

This potential threat was reported as the Valmeyer school district was conducting annual intruder drills and safety protocols in cooperation with law enforcement as required by state law.

“As part of reviewing our procedures with students, our staff emphasize the importance of ‘see or hear something, say something,” Valmeyer Superintendent of School Eric Frankford stated in an email to parents in the district.

The Valmeyer Police Department was notified immediately, Frankford said, and an investigation was conducted with assistance from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

“There was no gun or weapon involved or on school property, and no students were in immediate danger,” Frankford stated in the email. “We appreciate the quick response from our law enforcement officials.”

Valmeyer Police Chief Marty Seitz said the swift precautionary measures taken by the school district helped police identify those involved and properly address the matter.

“It is important to acknowledge and commend the students who came forward to report what they knew,” Seitz stated in a VPD press release posted on Facebook. “Their decision to speak up was essential and they should be applauded for doing the right thing.”

Out of an abundance of caution, the VPD and MCSD is providing a heightened law enforcement presence at the school.

“This is being done to ensure the continued safety of students, staff, and the community,” Seitz said.

The school district took action against the student involved in this matter, Seitz said, with an official police investigation still ongoing.

Speaking further on the matter this week with the Republic-Times, Seitz said this potential threat came in the form of a list. The parents of all those mentioned in this supposed list were notified immediately.

“We take these threats very seriously,” Seitz said, adding there is “no excuse for the student’s action” in this case.

Seitz also touched on what he said is a “common thread” in many such incidents involving students making threats to others in schools: bullying and “just being unkind in general.”

“We can learn from this,” Seitz said. “We can all stand to treat each other better. We just don’t know what’s going on in someone’s mind or life all of the time.”

In addition to thanking the MCSD for its assistance with this incident, Seitz gave kudos to recently hired VPD Officer Larry Chausse, who poured a lot of work into this case.

As for the school intruder drills and safety training that led to this potential threat being uncovered and dealt with accordingly, Seitz said “it’s the times we live in. This is why we do the training.”