School Superintendent David Fleishman sent the following — with the quote at the bottom from Mayor Setti Warren —  to the school community today:

September 3, 2015
Dear Newton School Community,

As I mentioned in my letter yesterday, we are looking forward to a terrific opening of our schools on Tuesday. I am writing a second letter to inform you of some extra security measures we will be taking at the start of the school year in and around two of our school buildings. This represents a collaborative decision made by the City’s Police Department, the Mayor’s Office and the Newton Public Schools.

Over the summer, the Newton Police Department was notified of an Internet threat against two of our buildings, the Education Center and Newton North High School. While the investigation is still ongoing, we are not aware of any subsequent threats. Although the threat was not connected to any specific date, as a precautionary measure, we believe that the most prudent approach is to increase security for now at these two buildings.

While I recognize that an increased police presence can be disconcerting for students, staff and families, safety and security is of utmost importance. I am forwarding this communication to all staff and families in our system because many people visit both the Education Center and Newton North on a daily basis.

Please understand that we are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to work in partnership with the Newton Police Department to provide regular updates on this matter. Thank you for your understanding, and please see the statement below from the Mayor.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman Superintendent of Schools

“Public safety is our first priority and I have been working closely with the Superintendent’s Office, Police Chief Howard Mintz, and other law enforcement officers to ensure that the opening of school goes smoothly. Although the police learned of a threat over the summer after the school year ended, no recent threat has been made. In an abundance of caution, we are putting in place additional security measures for the start of school. We will notify you should there be any new developments with the active police investigation of this situation.”

– Mayor Setti Warren