Anatomy of An Unplanned School Day

By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist

What a day. You all know by now that Athens ISD had to evacuate each of our five campuses (Wednesday) morning due to a bomb threat. As if lost instruction time, frightened parents and children, and the expense and time required to deal with the situation weren’t bad enough, the individual who called in the threat did so on a cold and rainy day to boot.

It started at 9:33 Wednesday morning when the Athens Police Department called the District Support Center to tell us someone had called the station with the claim that a bomb was at each campus. If history is any indication, these types of threats are hollow. But, of course, they must be and are taken seriously. Within a matter of minutes, the campus-wide evacuation effort was launched and bus drivers responded to immediate need for transportation.

Within an hour and a half of the initial phone call, all five of our campuses were safely relocated to TVCC, the Cain Center, First Baptist Church, First Christian Church and Eastern Hill Church of Christ. Then began the scramble for food. Our meals for the day sat unaccessible inside empty buildings. Our food services personnel scrambled to make and deliver sandwiches to students and teachers at the five different locations. It was modest fare, to be sure, but mouths were fed.

Around 12:30, members of our local law enforcement met with district administrators as well as representatives of every campus to put together a plan to sweep every campus. KIDS (Kontraband Interdiction and Detection Services) also arrived on the scene to provide trained personnel and a bomb-sniffing dog. The decision was made to start with the two largest schools: Athens High School (which includes the Early College High School campus) and Athens Middle School. By approximately 3 p.m., the high school had been cleared. By 5 p.m., every other campus was also declared safe.

The decision was made very early as events began to unfold to inform parents through every available outlet of what was happening. What we did not want was to alarm parents too early in the process and cause traffic jams at the schools or, as students began to arrive, at the evacuation sites. On the other hand, we knew no news at all would be alarming to parents as word began to spread organically. So as quickly as possible, we posted to social media and sent out automated calls and emails that a bomb threat had been received, that all students were being evacuated and that locations would be shared soon. Our phones rang off the walls. For as many calls as our wonderful receptionist received here at the district, another five or 10 went to voicemail. At each campus, the phones practically exploded.

As soon as all the students were settled in at the evacuation sites, updates were posted and another all-call went out advising parents of their children’s new locations. Throughout it all, our local media outlets — the Athens Daily Review, Henderson County Now, KCKL, Eye on the County — did a marvelous job of sharing information and quashing false rumors (such as the one that an explosive device had been found).

And what a great response we received from our community members. Parents were calm and understanding of the way the situation had to be handled. All our teachers and staff were cool under pressure. Bus drivers and food personnel went into hyper drive. Church of the Living God, First United Methodist Church and First Hispanic Baptist Church all went on standby to accommodate any overflow of students. (Thankfully, overflow locations were not necessary.) FBC Athens and Serenity Baking Company provided, without being asked food at some of our locations. Others, such as Athens Country Club and Elder Chrysler Dodge, offered to provide food if needed. Snack bars were opened, music and movies were played, umbrellas were handed out. It was a remarkable outpouring of care.

By the end of the day, Facebook was flooded with overwhelmingly positive comments by parents thanking teachers, campus and district leadership for handling the evacuation in a calm and professional way. All too often, social media is used as a tool to spread negative feelings, unsubstantiated rumors or half-informed information about our schools. It was a lovely silver lining on this unexpected day to be showered in gracious thanks by the parents of the children we serve with love.