Good evening Washington Campus Families,
We are writing to share additional details about an incident that occurred in our building. At around noon today, an altercation occurred in one of our restrooms between two students which escalated to one student allegedly stabbing another student with a sharp object.
Directly following the incident, the Washington Campus was placed on soft lockdown, and our school day continued without further incident. This incident is being investigated by the Waukegan Police Department, as well as school and district officials. Unfortunately, we can not provide any further details regarding the students involved or the ongoing investigation, as those facts remain fluid. We do not believe this incident is related to the threatening message discovered in a restroom earlier this week.
Our staff is just as shocked and saddened by this incident as I am sure you are. We know these types of incidents can be stressful and worrisome for students and parents, as accurate information is limited, but please know that the safety of our students and staff is always a top priority. Our school employs several enhanced safety measures beyond what is considered standard school security, including metal detectors and x-ray machines, which students and their belongings pass through prior to entering the building. With that said, we are constantly reevaluating and refining our procedures to ensure the safest school environment.
As this week continues, and into next week, you will notice some enhanced safety measures at our campus. These procedures will be in place to ensure the safety of all students and staff, while limiting distractions to the school environment.
We want to thank parents for their patience and understanding, and wish to thank students for their cooperation and maturity during that we know was a stressful situation. If you feel your child would benefit from speaking with one of our mental health professionals, please know they will be available tomorrow.
Thank you.
Timothy Bryner
Lead Principal
Waukegan High School