Laurel board offers reward in bomb threat probe
After four separate bomb threats forced the evacuation of Laurel Highlands High School over the past eight days, the Laurel Highlands School Board voted Thursday to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest of those involved. By a unanimous vote, the board approved a $500 reward for each incident in an effort to track down those responsible and to put an end to a week of nearly endless interruption.
Superintendent Dr. Ronald Sheba thanked the state police, Fayette County 911, local fire departments and Uniontown Area High School police for their help with investigating the incidents. He said students and parents have been cooperative, despite the repeated threats.
He said anyone who overhears even a casual threat involving the school has the responsibility to call state police or the school district.
“It’s caused anxiety, it’s cost us instructional time and it’s cost us financially,” he said.
Sheba said Fayette County Crime Stoppers has offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information about any or all of the bomb threats at the school, the first of which occurred March 9.
Gary Frankhouser, district solicitor, said the costs to the district as a result of the four threats has been “substantial” and that the administration and school board will not take these actions lightly.
“Those involved in this total disregard for the safety of others will face severe consequences,” he said. “They will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. That is the intent of this administration and the authorities.”
Anyone involved could be charged with terroristic threats, risking a catastrophe and several others, and will also be held responsible for reimbursing the school district for costs associated with evacuating the building and investigating the threats, Frankhouser said.
Sheba said students will not be permitted to bring cell phones into the high school starting Friday, and the ban will most likely be in effect through next week. School officials will confiscate cell phones if students are found in possession of them without receiving previous approval from the district.
Thursday’s threat was made by phone to the district administration building, forcing the evacuation of that facility and the high school. The district and high school administration believes those responsible for two of the four bomb threats have already been identified.
In other business, the board voted unanimously against the possible withdrawal of Brownsville Area School District from the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School starting with the 2005-06 school year.
The school boards from the three other school districts that send students to the vo-tech – Uniontown, Albert Gallatin and Laurel Highlands – have to approve Brownsville’s pullout. The district would still be required to contribute to payment of debt service incurred while the district was a full member of the vo-tech.
Albert Gallatin directors voted against the proposal Wednesday, while Uniontown Area school board members will vote on the issue Monday.
The board also approved a new five-year contract with Laidlaw Transit to provide bus service for the school district. According to terms of the deal, which goes into effect July 1, Laidlaw will be paid 4 percent more in each of the first two years and will receive 3 percent increases in the remaining years.
Laidlaw will also locate a bus garage somewhere within the district and provide a dedicated dispatcher exclusively for the district, according to Sheba.
“Given the events of the past week, we feel it’s important to have them closer,” he said, noting the Laidlaw garage is located along Morgantown Road in Smithfield.
The board also granted a three-year contract extension to M&R Transportation, which provides transit for the district’s special needs students, that includes 3 percent increases to be paid in each year of the extension.
“Both contractors do a wonderful job safely transporting our students back and forth every day from school,” said Board President Edward S. George.