Hello Catskill Community,
I wanted to provide an update regarding an incident that occurred shortly before dismissal at our schools today.
We received notification of an active law enforcement investigation in the vicinity of our schools shortly before dismissal. No part of this incident occurred on school grounds, nor did it involve any students or staff. At no time was there a known threat to our schools, and all students were safely dismissed. Out of an abundance of caution, Catskill Elementary School was also placed in a secure lockout, where the school day continued as usual in the building with no students or staff outside.
Given the active nature of the investigation and its close proximity to our schools, we implemented additional safety measures to ensure a secure dismissal process at the Middle School and High School. Students were temporarily held in the buildings and then escorted to buses one at a time. Buses were dismissed with law enforcement support as they exited the village. We also asked families to meet their children at their bus stops. Elementary School students were dismissed as usual for parent pickup, while bus transportation was delayed due to the later dismissal procedures at the Middle and High Schools.
We would like to thank the Catskill Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and New York State Police for their assistance and for providing a law enforcement presence along our bus routes and in the vicinity of drop-off locations. Due to the uncertainties surrounding the investigation at the time, we also asked Middle School and High School parents of student walkers to pick up their children so they could be safely escorted home.
I would also like to thank our building and district administrators, Transportation Director Mr. McCulloch, First Student, our bus drivers, and all of our staff for stepping up to ensure that every student was safe and accounted for during an evolving situation. Most importantly, I want to thank our students and families for their patience, cooperation, and understanding throughout the dismissal process.
Moments like these remind me how fortunate we are to be part of such a supportive community. When circumstances require us to act quickly, our staff, students, families, and local law enforcement partners come together with one shared priority: keeping our children safe.
Thank you, Catskill family. Go Cats!
Mr. Junait Shah
Superintendent of Schools