Brief Lockdown During Parent-Teacher Conferences At Esther Elementary Thursday Night

During Parent-Teacher Conferences last night, Administration and teachers at Esther Elementary became aware of a safety concern and entered a lockdown just before 6 pm. Local law enforcement responded immediately and cooperated with District administration and the Director of School Safety. At 6:16, it was determined that all individuals at Esther Elementary were safe, and the lockdown was lifted.

School staff learned of a parent who was present at conferences and was a person of interest to law enforcement. The building was locked down until law enforcement apprehended the individual in a nearby neighborhood.

R-3 Superintendent Dr. David Schmits said he was grateful to have local law enforcement who take care of the community and the schools with such rapid response

Administrators said that the safety of students, families, and staff is their highest priority, and they appreciate the cooperation between law enforcement and district staff to ensure everyone’s safety.

The remaining conferences at Esther Thursday night were canceled and will be rescheduled.