Stillwater Area School District Reacts to New Prague Middle School Lockdown

New Prague Middle School went into lockdown this morning after police received a phone call, eventually determined to be a hoax, saying there was a shooting taking place and people were injured. 

A 12-year-old boy was taken into custody, according to the Pioneer Press. No one was injured.

As the incident was being reported, the Stillwater Area School District posted this status update on Facebook:

"We are receiving news of an incident at a sixth grade center in New Prague, MN. Early news accounts suggested the school went into lock down following reports of a weapon in the school, however, more recent updates suggest this was not the case. We’re continuing to watch the situation as it develops. Our thoughts are certainly with students, staff, and families throughout this frightening ordeal.

While we have no reason to sound an alarm in Stillwater, our principals and school staff are aware of the situation and increasing their presence in our schools. In addition to our already strong security measures we’ve asked staff to increase their vigilance throughout the day. Parents with concerns or questions are encouraged to visit with your principal about the many safety measures in place in our schools."

Carissa Keister, a spokesperson for the Stillwater School District, said this type of communication with parents started with the Newtown tragedy.

"It's an effort to communicate with parents," Keister said. "When a parent hears news like this, no matter how far away it is, they immediately think about the safety of their children. We want to take that fear out of their mind, and let them know their kids are safe."

The messages are meant to reassure parents that district officials are aware of the situation, tell them students in Stillwater schools are safe and the district is following its safety protocols.

Keister said the district has received a lot of positive feedback about the communications.

Today, Keister said she received 12 messages from parents. All but two were positive, with the others saying they thought the messaging was an overreaction.

"We are always looking for feedback," Keister said. "So far parents have been really appreciative of the communication efforts, but if people think it's an overreaction, we can reevaluate."