Watch: Massive Gator Crashes Florida School's Dismissal

LAKELAND, FL — Students at Geneva Classical Academy got a lesson Thursday that they’re not likely to forget. Instead of lining up for dismissal, they got to watch from afar as a trapper captured a near 10-foot alligator that crashed the campus.

The trespassing alligator showed up at the 4204 Lakeland Highlands Road school around 2 p.m. At first, it looked like he was going to try and cross a road to head to a nearby lake, but when he turned down the school's driveway instead, staff called for help, Richard Cali, the school's headmaster, told Patch.

Lakeland Police were the first to arrive on the scene. They contained the critter until a trapper arrived, Cali said.

A video shot by an onlooker shows the trapper in action, capturing the beast, as the students in the K-4 through 12th-grade academy watched in awe. All told, between the police, the trapper and teachers, kids only missed the school's normal 2:45 p.m. dismissal by a few minutes, Cali said.

"It was certainly and unexpected and exciting event and quite an educational experience for our students," Cali said.

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“Our students received a good Polk County education today: how to trap a 9’11” gator,” the school wrote on its Facebook page after the ordeal was over.

That lesson, Cali said, is very likely going to be followed up with a few more for students in regard to alligator safety in Florida. While that topic isn't necessarily in the school's lesson plans, Thursday's trespasser made it clear a few tips on living around alligators could be helpful for students, he indicated.

Roaming alligators go hand-in-hand with the arrival of spring in Florida. As temperatures rise, the state’s coldblooded population takes advantage of the nicer weather to get out and explore a bit, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Gary Morse told Patch in a previous interview.

“All reptiles are more active in the warmer months,” Morse said. “That’s just the coldblooded creatures’ (way). Their metabolism increases and they do become active.”

That increase in activity can lead to an increase in encounters with humans as gators take advantage of this time of year to stretch their legs and see if the grass is greener on the other side of the pond. Alligator activity tends to rise so much in the warmer months that the state has set up its own hotline to field nuisance alligator calls. That number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). In 2013 alone, the state fielded 15,036 nuisance alligator calls, which resulted in the removal of 6,605 creatures.

So, what should folks do if they encounter a gator and how can they avoid running into one in the first place?

“If you see an alligator, appreciate it from a distance,” Morse recommended.

For those who like swimming in Florida’s freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers, Morse suggested avoiding heavily vegetated areas. He also warned: “No swimming between dusk and dawn when alligators tend to be active.”

For residents who encounter nuisance alligators, such as those that show up on the front lawns of schools, Morse said it’s a good idea to call the state’s hotline.

He also recommends people who live in or visit Florida brush up on their alligator knowledge.

“It’s imperative that people do their homework, go to our website and learn how to handle (sightings),” he said.

To help out, the state offers a downloadable brochure with the ABCs of cohabitating with these reptiles. “A Guide to Living with Alligators” can be accessed from the state’s website.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission