Burrell and Fox Chapel Area schools implement 2-hour delay, virtual learning after social media threats

Safety concerns have prompted a “flexible instruction day” Tuesday for students in the Fox Chapel Area and Burrell school districts.

A delayed start for students will be in effect at both districts.

A “concerning social media post” reported Monday by students prompted the virtual instruction and a 2-hour delay at Burrell.

The district’s buildings were on a soft lockdown Monday afternoon, and district officials decided to make the changes for Tuesday’s classes after “an additional social media post has been circulated causing more concern for several of our families and students” after the end of Monday’s school day, Superintendent Shannon Wagner said in an electronic announcement sent to parents Monday evening.

Wagner wrote that the change was made “in order to give authorities a chance to thoroughly review the information” received Monday.

She wrote a flexible school day is a virtual day where students can learn from home via technology. She wrote that “students and families will receive more information in the morning.”

Fox Chapel Area officials said they became aware late Monday of an anonymously reported “possible threat” regarding the high school, received through the Safe2Say Something system.

While an investigation by Fox Chapel Area staff and local police is underway, the district said it opted for virtual instruction “out of an abundance of caution.” An announcement on the district website didn’t reveal the nature of the potential threat.

Delayed start times for students are: 9:30 a.m. for the high school; 10 a.m. for Dorseyville Middle School; 11 a.m. for elementary schools.

Fox Chapel Area high school and middle school students will have a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. They were instructed to sign in to their Schoology accounts to access meeting codes, course content and assignments.

The district’s elementary students are to receive an email from their teachers with their asynchronous learning assignments and a Google Meet link.

“The safety and security of our students and staff is always a top priority,” the district said.

Earlier Monday, Burrell’s Wagner discussed the earlier threats there.

“Students received and reported two social media posts indicating a potential safety concern at Burrell High School today,” Wagner said. “All district buildings remained in lockdown for the afternoon.

“An increased police presence was at all buildings. The nature and credibility of the social media posts are under investigation.”

A soft lockdown is when teachers and students are in locked classrooms without changing rooms but instruction continues, said Wagner. Schools dismissed students for the day at the normal times.

She said students saw the threat in the early afternoon and reported it to officials. The threat targeted the high school.

Officials did not comment on the nature of the threat, but screenshots of one of the social media posts obtained by TribLive showed a threat of a shooting at the high school at 1:30 p.m. Monday, which did not occur.

Police continue to investigate the threat. It’s anticipated there will be an increased police presence at the district’s schools Tuesday.

Wagner stressed the district does everything it can to ensure the safety of students and staff.

“Serving kids is our livelihood,” Wagner said. “We’re right there in it, right beside their child. We will do everything we can to protect the children and ourselves.”