(Lenox, Iowa) – Lenox Community School District Superintendent Dave Henrichs, Monday, released a statement (See below) on the District’s social media site with regard to his and other district’s having received screenshots of purported threats of school violence. Henrichs said the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office was notified at around 5:45-p.m., Monday (Sept. 16) by the Governor’s School Safety Bureau, of a concerning social media threat that was re-posted in the Lenox CSD’s boundaries. The Superintendent said the post copied a picture from an online clothing equipment shop from CANADA, along with a vague threatening statement. After identifying the source of the re-posted post, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Henrichs said, notified district officials about the post, at around 7:30-p.m., Monday.

Henrichs said the district takes ALL threats of school violence “incredibly seriously, and will continue to do so.” He reminds citizens it is a crime for any person to create and share electronic communication with the intent to intimidate or alarm others, and that district staff will continue to implement their safety protocols. There will be a law enforcement presence in the district this week. Please report social media threats to your local law enforcement agency, the school, or through the Safe and Sound Iowa website.

An arrest has been made following an investigation into a threat made toward a Norwalk elementary school, last week. According to the Norwalk Police Department, a potential threat to Oviatt Elementary School was reported on Sept. 10. An investigation and response was coordinated with the NPD and Norwalk School District staff. On Monday, the NPD said Margaret Anderson, also known as Maxwell Anderson, made a threat to harm students at the school district. Officials say Anderson was removed from the public at that time and has been charged with a threat of terrorism. Anderson has been booked into the Warren County Jail and is being held without bond.

And, the Perry Police Department, Monday, announced that two teens have been charged for allegedly joking about planning a school shooting at Perry Middle School. In a Facebook post the police department said Perry Middle School staff notified the school resource officer and police department Monday morning about information regarding a potential school shooting threat. An investigation was conducted and it was determined that the threat was not credible.

According to a letter from Perry Middle School, last Thursday two middle school students were discussing how to get class canceled, and allegedly jokingly discussed plans for a shooting at the school. Nearby students overheard the conversation and became alarmed. The middle school said it wasn’t informed of the threat until Monday morning when the students who overheard the conversation told school staff. The police department said the two 14-year-old students have been charged with threats of terrorism in connection to the incident. Both have been referred to Juvenile Court.