TUNKHANNOCK - Tunkhannock Area School District canceled classes today after rumors of a threatening text message and a message on Facebook.
The district announced the decision Thursday night after its school board meeting.
Officials told concerned parents at the meeting they were trying to get to the bottom of rumors.
Several parents asked questions about the rumors swirling since the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children dead.
"What are the facts?" Deeata Nichols asked. "I have a student in fifth grade who tells me she heard things."
Superintendent Michael Healey said he had probably received about 50 communications regarding a Facebook posting and as many about a threatening text message, but no one has been able to present the original of either so law enforcement could determine its credibility.
"We believe we've prepared for about every eventuality, but the one we can't get a handle on is the rumor," Mr. Healey said Thursday. "The bottom line is that we cannot substantiate any of the claims that there is going to be violence tomorrow, and it's not happening just here. You see it at other school districts as well."
After one parent asked why today's student assembly at which "Reindeer Games" would be shown was canceled, Mr. Healey said it was because of the rumors.
"We did not want to place students assembled in one place in jeopardy," he said. "The administration made a decision to postpone the showing until after this frenzy subsides.
"We're concerned about the darkness of the parking lot for tomorrow night's high school basketball game with Elk Lake," he added, "but we don't want to needlessly alarm the public."
In light of school security concerns, Tunkhannock Area School Board President Martin Migliori said he had appointed a committee composed of representatives of the board and community. Among its membership are three parents of students in the district who have law enforcement experience: David Ide, Richard Seaberg and Richelle Stapleton.
Also at Thursday's meeting, school board members unanimously voted to hire former Valley View High School Principal James Timmons as the new principal at Tunkhannock Area Middle School. Mr. Timmons left Valley View to become principal of Berrendo Middle School in Roswell School, which has around 650 students. TAMS had 835 students at the start of December.
His start date has not been determined, but he will replace Cynthia Basila, who was recently appointed principal of Saucon Valley Elementary School. His annual salary is $84,000.
Contact the writer: bbaker@wcexaminer.com