Response to bomb threat reassures officials

Two days after a threat of school violence, Northeastern Wayne officials said they were glad teachers, staff and students knew what to do.

Northeastern schools responded by going into lockdown on Aug. 19 after the Richmond Police Department reported that a male voice on the phone threatened to go to a local school with a bomb. Richmond, Seton Catholic and Nettle Creek schools also responded to the threat, which later proved not credible.

“Monday, our teachers and staff really stepped up on a tough day,” Superintendent Matthew Hicks told the Northeastern Schools board on Wednesday, Aug. 21. “We learned a lot about our protocols on a terrifying day.”

School personnel were “scared but not helpless” because the school system conducts a training program for teachers and staff early each school year. They knew what to do, he said. Only new staff and teachers were at a loss, he said, and that will be addressed by adding training to the district’s New Teacher Academy, conducted before school starts.

He noted that in addition to measures taken by the schools, students used their cellphones to communicate their safety to parents.

Hicks said this was the second time in five years that Northeastern had to respond to a perceived threat within the first two weeks of a new school year.

Northeastern uses protocols taught in ALICE Training. It teaches five steps in responding to active shooter situations: alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate, which correspond with the acronym that gives the program its name.

Hicks said the specific procedures in place at Northeastern are not discussed publicly so would-be shooters don’t learn of them. Board member Keith Webster suggested that the board convene an executive session to privately discuss emergency security measures.

New principal

The board met Holly Miller, the new Northeastern High School assistant principal.

Miller is a 1998 New Castle High School graduate, according to Kelly Plank, director of curriculum and instruction. Miller attended Purdue University-Indiana University at Indianapolis, earning an undergraduate degree in math education in 2002. She earned her educational leadership license from Ball State University in 2024. 

Most recently, she worked as an instructional coach and a secondary math teacher for New Castle Community School Corporation. She brings 13 years of experience working with students from kindergartners to seniors.

Miller attended the board meeting along with one of her three children. Her parents also attended.

Student achievement

Plank reported on several measures of student achievement, comparing Northeastern with Wayne County’s other four public school corporations. Northeastern usually rates in the top two on test results.

In discussing attendance, Hicks said the state standard is that a student’s absence is either excused, generally by a doctor’s note, or unexcused, without a doctor’s note. There are a limited number of other reasons an absence can be counted as excused but, generally, even a parent phone call or note is insufficient. The school will follow up with parents after the third absence, Plank said.

Thus, a review of performance on the ILEARN test prompted an exchange between Hicks and Webster. The test assesses proficiency in content standards in English/language arts and math in grades three through eight.

“It’s hard to do a cartwheel when only 30.89% of your students are proficient,” Hicks said. “But it’s above the state average.”

Webster rejoined, “That statistic right there should incentivize parents to have their kids in school.”

In other business

• The board also learned that replacing most of the Northeastern Elementary School heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system could get underway next summer. Hicks said it is expected to cost “in the millions” of dollars. Money will come from a bond issue being sold this year. 
• Hicks received board approval to spend $45,276 from “rainy day” contingency money to replace the football scoreboard, damaged beyond repair in a recent storm. When an insurance settlement is received, it will be placed into the rainy day fund. A temporary scoreboard is in place.
• NHS Principal John Markward said he is working on a new design to replace the academic wall near the school gym. It was painted over during the summer. The new design will probably list all past valedictorians and salutatorians and include more information about the most recent top graduates. It will be adaptable when NHS transitions to a new system of graduate recognition in several years.
• The board’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the Northeastern Wayne student services building, 7299 US 27 N., Fountain City. The public may attend.