The lockdown at Agoura High was taken with immediate shock, prompting students to rush into classrooms and teachers to follow the safety protocols.
At approximately 10:55 AM on Thursday, November 14, Agoura High School received a threatening phone call from someone who claimed to be armed with a gun and was on campus at that moment, ready to shoot. The person who called was unknown, and hung up right away. After the phone call, the school initiated a lockdown.
At 11:13 AM, a message via ParentSquare was sent to teachers and students regarding what was happening, as students did not know before. Through this message, the principal,
Mr. Garrett Lepisto assured and calmed the staff and students, saying that “The Sheriff’s department is currently on campus, ensuring that all students and staff are safe. We are in direct contact with officers who are investigating the credibility of the call. We do not currently believe the threat is credible, but we are taking it seriously and taking all the necessary precautions”.
The lockdown still continued until a short while after the 3rd period support, which started at 12:18 PM. After the lockdown, students remained in their 3rd class till lunch began, at which almost the whole school left and went home. Some students stayed in their class, and many classes had their tests and lessons canceled for the rest of the day. Students said they “felt scared, thought they were going to die, were crying and thought they would never see their families again”. Another student stated that they were “anxious and worried”.
Mr. Lepisto sent a follow-up message later that day at around 5:00 PM for resources, saying that “Our Wellness Center (in the counseling office) is available to students and students can schedule an appointment with a wellness counselor as well: https://www.lvusdcounseling.org/wellness. Additionally, LVUSD offers counseling services for families, students, and staff through the LVUSD Counseling Center: https://www.lvusdcounseling.org/wellness“.
Agoura High School was not the only school that was threatened. More than 4 other schools were called, including Notre Dame High School and Verdugo Hills High School.
The Lost Hills’ Sheriffs were on campus during the lockdown, and everybody was safe, however there are many concerns about communication, safety, and security about situations like these. Agoura High will keep trying to improve the safety measures and protocols in the school.
The situation was handled with the utmost urgency and was dealt with efficiently, keeping students and staff safe all the while.
Image Source: The Acorn
