GM threat came from Midwest Concerned GM, CAES parents kept children home

Fierman issued a press release on Tuesday that gave a bit more information about the threat, which had many parents concerned enough to keep their children home.

Fierman wrote that on Monday afternoon, a GM student “received a threat of gun violence through social media … That threat extended to the school as a whole.”

The student reported the threat to Chester Police, who began an investigation, according to Fierman. Police were able to identify and contact the person.  They also contacted local police in that midwestern state, Fierman wrote.

While school administration and police determined that there was “no credible threat to the school” and that school would open as usual on Tuesday, school officials were unable to release details because the investigation was continuing.

Chief Richard Cloud met with the GM staff early this morning to brief them on the situation and a police officer remained at the school on Tuesday.

“We are all confident that there is no longer any threat to GMUHS,” Fierman wrote.

Superintendent Meg Powden wrote, “We are grateful to Chief Cloud, the Chester Police and the Vermont State Police for responding to this threat so quickly and locating the person who made the threat in such a timely manner.

A number of attempts to reach Cloud were unsuccessful.

While Tuesday was a half-day snow sports day for many students, Fierman told The Telegraph that about 145 students – or a little less than 50 percent of the student body – stayed home because of the threat.

While the the threat was not identified as having anything to do with Chester-Andover, parents were still concerned, expressing their worry on Monday night on Facebook. On Tuesday, Principal Katherine Fogg said about 35 of her students were kept home due to the threat.

Both principals said that the students’ absences would be excused.