Wooster schools closed Feb. 20 after phone threat

Wooster City Schools were closed on Tuesday, Feb. 20 after school officials were alerted to a threat made through social media concerning the safety and security of students and staff at Wooster High School.

After the report led to the immediate involvement of state and local law-enforcement agencies to determine its credibility, the school day was canceled.

Following an investigation, the Wooster Police Department determined the source of the threat and a juvenile suspect was taken into custody. Schools were scheduled to re-open on Feb. 21.

“The safety of our students and staff is our utmost priority, and we will continue to uphold our commitment to providing a safe learning environment,” WCS Superintendent Gabe Tudor said in a press release to families of students. “We understand that this situation may be unsettling, and we want to reassure you that we are taking every necessary precaution to secure our school.”

Tudor expressed gratitude to the WPD for its swift actions.

“We also commend our students for speaking up and bringing this threat to our attention,” Tudor said. “Wooster City Schools strongly encourages our school community to embrace the ‘see something, say something’ motto, as swift reporting of suspicious activity can truly make a difference in the safety of our schools.”

The district’s Safer Ohio Tip Line is monitored 24/7 at 844-723-3764.