All valley schools to remain closed Friday
A row of school buses parked outside Hedges Elementary School in Kalispell waiting for the end of the school and the students they’ll be taking home on Monday afternoon, October 24. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
All public schools in the Flathead Valley will remain closed on Friday following a series of threats made via text message and email that led to the closure of schools throughout the valley on Thursday.
A statement released by the county superintendent of schools Thursday said that local law enforcement and the FBI “feel the threat is creditable and they are working diligently to apprehend the suspect.”
Any extra-curricular activities or athletic events that would need to leave campus prior to 10 a.m. on Friday are also canceled.
“If the situation changes and we are able to consider having extra-curricular activities and athletics that occur after school on Friday or that occur on Saturday, a decision will be made by 10 a.m. on Friday,” the statement noted.
“The safety and best interests of our students and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation and update communities as we have more information.”
Flathead Valley Community College, including Lincoln County Campus, will remain closed on Friday, as well. All classes and activities are canceled, and all offices and the Early Childhood Center will be closed.
The public school closure includes the following districts:
Bigfork
Cayuse Prairie
Columbia Falls
Creston
Deer Park
Evergreen
Fair-Mont-Egan
Kalispell
Helena Flats
Kila
Marion
Olney-Bissell
Pleasant Valley
Smith Valley
Somers/Lakeside
Swan River
West Glacier
West Valley
Whitefish
Kalispell Montessori
St. Matthew’s
Stillwater Christian
Trinity Lutheran
Whitefish Christian Academy
Woodland Montessori