District – Discover Muscatine WPematico Content

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The following is a statement from Muscatine Community School District Superintendent Clint Christopher and Muscatine Police Chief Tony Kies regarding the response to a threat called into Muscatine Police just after the start of the school day.

Muscatine High School students, families, and staff members,

Our high school was ‘swatted’ this morning. That means that a fake threat was called into the Muscatine Police Department from outside of the state of Iowa. The threat also referenced a staff member’s name that does not exist within our high school or district.

Muscatine Police responded accordingly, swept the entire building, and once they informed us that there was no credible threat, we could resume the school day.

While this is certainly a disruption to the day, we will do our best to resume school as normal at Muscatine High School. Should any students or staff need to speak with a counselor, please know it is okay.

Similar ‘swatting’ calls are happening to other school districts across the state of Iowa. Mulberry Elementary School was also temporarily locked down due to its proximity to Muscatine High School.

Please know that we take the safety of all students and staff very seriously and work very closely with the Muscatine Police Department. We appreciate their efforts and timely response.

Thank you,

Clint Christopher
Superintendent

Tony Kies
Chief, Muscatine Police Department

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Police Department and the Muscatine Community School District released the following statement today (May 25) in regards to the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, and the current safety efforts for Muscatine school students and staff.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the news was breaking across the country regarding a school shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. We learned that 21 people were killed, including 19 students and two teachers. The Muscatine Community School District and the Muscatine Police Department mourn the loss of the families and friends impacted by this tragedy.

It is essential for our families to know that while we may not know the “why” behind these senseless acts, the MCSD team of counselors is available to support students and staff members. We also want to communicate and update the Muscatine community on our ongoing safety efforts taken to protect our Muskie students and staff members.

We continue to work on safety and emergency operation plans for the school district with emergency response personnel, and the Muscatine Police Department. That includes a multi-layered approach to school safety including; secure entrances and classroom doors, security cameras, school resource officers on-site at the junior high and high school along with added mental health support for students.

In light of the tragic events in Uvalde, we strongly encourage all MCSD families to talk to their students and listen to their concerns. We also urge that students continue to “See Something, Say Something” and communicate with school officials when they observe things that concern them. Students should never feel intimidated or embarrassed by sharing their concerns. The Muscatine Community School District and Muscatine Police Department appreciate the continued support from families, staff members, and the entire Muscatine community. The goal is to provide a safe environment for all our students and staff members.

Clint Christopher, Superintendent

Brett Talkington, Chief of Police