Update: Shortly before 12:30 p.m. Monday, all students, teachers and staff received the go-ahead to return to the building. A sweep of the school returned no explosive devices and no suspect was identified. Allentown police continue to investigate, Melissa Reese, Allentown School District spokeswoman, told lehighvalleylive.com.
All students and staff were evacuated from William Allen High School Monday morning following another bomb threat, district officials said.
Melissa Reese, Allentown School District spokeswoman, told lehighvalleylive.com the district was made aware of the threat sometime Monday morning at the high school, 106 N. 17th St. in Allentown.
Parents were notified of the evacuation just before 11 a.m., Reese said. No injuries were reported.
City officers are working with school district officials and security. As of 11:45 a.m. Monday, police along with their K-9 unit and city firefighters were sweeping the building to detect any explosive devices, Reese said.
Since mid-September, the district has dealt with multiple alleged bomb threats at Allen High School and Francis D. Raub Middle School, 102 S. St. Cloud St.
The prior threats were made in notes indicating an explosive material was set to detonate, city police said. Reese did not provide specifics about the most recent threat.
The threats prompted an early dismissal Sept. 29 at William Allen High School. A similar threat was made against the school Sept. 17.
By early October, two bomb threats were made against Trexler Middle School.
A 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, both from the city, were arrested after police said they made threats at both schools. Each were charged with making terroristic threats and assault by physical menace.
Police are not identifying the suspects because they are juveniles.
District officials have stressed to students the district’s handbook states disciplinary responses to address serious behavior could result in removing a student from the school community. This includes but is not limited to long-term out-of-school suspension, alternative educational placement, or expulsion.
William Allen High School is one of two high schools in the Allentown School District. It houses students in grades 9-12.
Francis D. Raub Middle School, one of four middle schools in the Allentown School District, houses students in grades 6-8.
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