Feb 26, 2018 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – Carmichaels Area School District is planning a safety open house for parents and community members to ease their concerns after recent rumors circulated about school safety in both the district and across the country.

The meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the middle-high school auditorium will go over safety plans and procedures in place in the district.

Superintendent John Menhart said the meeting will include presentations from local police and administrators, as well as give parents a chance to ask questions. For example, there are teacher safety training sessions that parents may not be aware of happening at the schools. The administration will consider recommendations and suggestions.

Misleading or factually incorrect information spread early last week after administrators notified parents Monday morning of an alleged threat that was investigated twice – once by the school district and then again by police – and deemed not to be credible.

Eighth-grader Joshua Mix was wrongly accused of planning to attack the school. He met with school officials Feb. 16 and they quickly determined it wasn’t a credible threat, but rumors later spread online, eventually leading to Joshua’s photograph being posted on various social media sites labeling him as a danger to the school. Cumberland Township police later investigated and also found no threat to students.

“As a parent, your kids always come first and if they don’t, shame on you. I understand that,” Menhart said.

Menhart said from the recent situation, he got the feeling that many parents thought there was no safety plan in place at Carmichaels, which is not true. He is disappointed that it takes a situation like this to bring about a conversation but is willing to be open and transparent with concerned members of the community. He said he could have put information online and on social media, but prefers to explain things in person.

“Communication is key,” he said, adding that he’s a “face-to-face guy.”

He also wanted to hold the meeting while the situation is still fresh. An assembly Monday with students helped put most of the concerns to rest, Menhart said.

“I am so proud of the way our kids handled this,” Menhart said. “Our kids here understood. They showed compassion towards (the accused). That I know of, there were no problems.”

Menhart said it will also give him the opportunity to remind parents of an opioid program the following night.

A countywide drug prevention night for parents will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Jefferson-Morgan Middle-High School auditorium. Refreshments and activities for children will be available during the meeting, which will feature Mike Cipoletti, director of forensic science at Waynesburg University. There will be an opportunity for parents to ask questions of a panel of school administrators, law enforcement and treatment providers.