HOPEWELL, Va. -- School officials in Hopewell said they have reexamined crisis management practices and communication protocols after guns were recently found in each of their secondary schools, as well as a social media threat made against their middle school on Tuesday.
Officials did not say exactly when those guns were found or give any details about the circumstances in which they were found.
"Many of our children are struggling as a result of the isolation and unique consequences of the pandemic. We are routinely having individual conversations with students and they are telling us of their challenges personally," said Hopewell Superintendent Melody Hackney in a statement on their website. "And while we are working hard to respond specifically to their social and emotional needs and well-being, we continue to see a higher level of intensity in much of the misconduct some of our students are exhibiting."
Hackney said the school district made mistakes in how and when they communicated about the incidents at the schools.
As as result, she said all serious incidents in any school will be messaged via School Messenger and/or Remind to the specific school’s parents/families no later than close of business on the day the incident occurs.
Hackney also said she will present plans that will better enhance the security of the buildings and increase prevention efforts to deter students from making choices that could impact the safety of their schools to the Hopewell School Board next week.
