March 17, 2022

Dear Catskill Families,

I wanted to bring to your attention that a student at Catskill Middle School brought in a toy that looked like a gun and had shown it to some other students during the school day. The incident was reported to school officials this afternoon after the school day had ended. We contacted police, who have investigated and have confirmed that it was a toy and not a gun, no one was ever in any danger, and no threat or criminal intent was involved.

I would like to remind our families that students should not bring toys or other items to school that could cause a distraction from their learning. In recent weeks, we have seen an uptick in student behavior that is in violation of our District’s Code of Conduct. We are working with our students here at school to reinforce our expectations for their behavior. I ask that our parents/guardians also have a conversation with your child/children about your expectations for their behavior and the importance of our Code of Conduct. Together, we can help our school remain a safe and positive place for our students to learn.

Respectfully,

Dr. Ronel Cook
Superintendent of Schools