Westmont School District reopens after ‘non-specific’ threat forced closure

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Westmont Hilltop School District reopened after a threatening note forced it to close for several days.

The school district announced the Junior-Senior High School would operate on a two-hour delay schedule on Thursday, Feb. 2 after it consulted with law enforcement and got authorization from the Board of School Directors.

They added the decision to reopen was due in part to the non-specific nature of the threat. Police officers will also be on each school campus to ensure safety.

The full announcement can be read below.

In consultation with our law enforcement partners and with authorization from the Board of School Directors, we have made a collective determination to reopen the school district on Thursday, February 2, 2023, based on factors including the non-specific nature of the threat involved. We will have additional officers on each campus from Upper Yoder, West Hills, and the District Attorney’s office to ensure the school day operates safely.  Both schools will operate on a two-hour delay schedule.    

You will receive more information later this evening, but I wanted to provide information as early as possible so parents can make arrangements for the two-hour delay.

Statement provided by the Westmont Hilltop School District

Students were dismissed from the school on Monday, Jan. 30 after the administration found a threatening note outside of the building. Police supervised the student’s dismissal as they were transported to the elementary school to be picked up by their parents.

The Upper Yoder Township Police Department later released a photo of the suspect they believe left the threatening note. The suspect was described as having dark hair and glasses wearing a pink hoodie, gray sweatpants and black and white sneakers.

At this time, the suspect remains unknown. An investigation into the threat remains ongoing as evidence was submitted to a crime lab.