WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – The superintendent of South Washington County Schools says staff followed security procedures and quickly addressed a threat from a student Monday at Woodbury High School. 

Julie Nielsen shared an update on the incident in a letter to families, staff and students of the school. Here is a portion of the message:

We previously reported that a student was believed to be in possession of a weapon at Woodbury High School (WHS) during the school day. The student fled school property and was later taken into custody by law enforcement. Late yesterday, the Woodbury Police Department located a weapon (a disassembled handgun) in a nearby neighborhood. 

South Washington County Schools has an established safety protocol. Staff receive training on the protocol and practice the procedures that are specified in the protocol. By implementing the safety protocol in this case, we were able to address the threat quickly. When the student fled school property, we immediately secured all exterior doors to ensure that all students in the building were safe. Additionally, a call for assistance was placed to the Woodbury Police Department. The police department responded by assigning several officers who were instrumental in locating the student off school property.

We are grateful for the support of the Woodbury Police Department and for our collaboration in keeping our students and staff safe. When it comes to student safety, SRO Rudy Wessels is a particularly important member of the WHS team. We appreciate the quick, decisive actions of Officer Rudy and the WHS administration. 

Data privacy laws prohibit the District from identifying any student who engaged in misconduct or from sharing information about the disciplinary action that is taken against a particular student. However, I can share that the District follows the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act and the discipline procedures that are outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. I can also share that the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act states that “a school board must expel for a period of at least one year a pupil who is determined to have brought a firearm to school…

 The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our primary concern. But it takes all of us, working together, to ensure safety in our schools and our community. We appreciate your support.

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