Well, at least no one was hurt.

My sister just told me about this, I am proud of the way the District and community has handled this situation.

I am from Heber. My youngest sister is in elementary and my other sister in the junior high. I'm glad everyone is safe, but that is insane to think something like that would happen in Heber.

How is that insane to think that something like that would happen in Heber? Hello? Where do all the school shootings take place? Rural, typically-wealthy, white neighborhoods.
I can't wait to see how the WSD handles this. Considering they AREN'T pulling every young male they see in sight and accusing them of drinking and driving. Things happen everywhere. Sad, but it's about time reality hits that town.
And I also lived there too.

I live in Heber and I was very disappointed how JR Smith Elementary handled the evacuation. They moved the kids to a church parking lot which is next to the school. Why wouldnt they have put the kids on the east side of the church instead of the west side? So many parents were shocked to arrive at the school at 2:30 to pick up their children from what they thought was a normal day, only to find the street blocked and EMS vehicles all over. Sad this happens in Heber. Yes, Haley, I agree it is insane, but more insane was the lack of policy to protect the kids and no notice to parents. I saw little kids crying out of fear and who can blame them. I am sure the parents would have picked their children up if they had only been notified. I know school officials tried but things are happening in all types of towns.. Wake up Wasatch School district. I know that many parents share my opinion that a phoning system would have helped keep the kids calm. Especially since JR had a fire two weeks ago.

There is no need for a phone system. everybody found out from everybody else. the next-door-neighbor-network is FAR more effective than any phone system would be. Besides all a phone system is going to do is call a bunch of empty houses. So jenny do you sit at home right by your phone or you off working like everybody else?

so, no need... how did you hear if you were not sitting by the phone? And, if everyone is working, how do they run from door to door? Seems like the door to door thing does not work with your claim that houses would have been empty.

I was at work, but I list my work number so I CAN be contacted in case of trouble. I saw stay at home parents who knew nothing of a bomb threat while their children sat just several feet away from the school for over an hour at a church. They were VERY upset with the school for not letting them know or finding out sooner. It seems logical to me that removing the children through a safe route would be the right thing to do. We have had a wakeup call, now we need to learn from it and set a total plan for all kinds of curcumstances. Good idea Jenny!

Do you actually relize how many student's parents would have to be contacted during an emergency. There are hundreds of students and hundreds of parents. In the case of an emergency they did the best possible. Don't criticize and come up with another plan. WSD handled it very well.

Well I appreciate the fact that you think that they did well. Most of the parents I have talked with felt quite frustrated. Maybe other schools were handled better, but at JR, even though they had a police officer there, they still did not protect them well. They should have placed a barrier between the kids and the school. If you disagree, take it up with the head officer who was desperately trying to get the kids through the church building and to the other side of the church. This was after the majority of the kids had sat in the parking lot since 1:00. I feel our kids deserve to have the best protection possible.. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that sitting children in a parking lot next to the school playground is probably not a very safe area.
The media always tries to make the district out to look like heroes. As far as I know, and I have not yet spoke with everyone, The parents I spoke with were not notified. And the media said they were. I want to hear the truth, not what they want people to believe.

re:jenny,
I don't think that Jenny is paid by the school district to figure out these plans, but it sounds to me like she could. I am sure there are those people who ARE paid for these things, and I would think they learned a great lesson today. Things were pretty good, but they need to be better. We can't just say things were good, and leave it at that, if it was for real there could have been a real disater. Good job for getting the children out, but lets plan for a great job next time.

My son attends Heber Valley Elementary. I believe that the teachers and administration handled it very well.

The children were promptly evacuated- to a safe indoor site- a couple of blocks away. The children were not alarmed. They were told that it was just a drill. The teachers entertained them by singing songs, etc.

My son's teacher called (with her personal cell phone) to notify me about what had happened and to tell me that I could pick him up. The pick up procedure was very organized.

Later in the afternoon I received a computer generated call from the district office. It explained the situation. It said that the authorities had finished searching all the schools and that school would be held as normal tomorrow.

Again, I think the situation was handled well. I am thankful for the school officials who were concerned and competent with regard to the safety of the school children and personnel.

That sounds great! I think that the J.R. Smith administration should look at Heber Valley and get some ideas from them. If a bomb would have gone off at J.R. Smith, I am terrified that at least some of the students could have been hurt before they moved to the east side of the church. I am greatful for the prompt administration at Heber Valley, and hopefully the other schools in the District were as prepared.

Christine,
That sounds great! I think that the J.R. Smith administration should look at Old Mill and get some ideas from them. If a bomb would have gone off at J.R. Smith, I am terrified that at least some of the students could have been hurt before they moved to the east side of the church. I am greatful for the prompt administration at Old Mill, and hopefully the other schools in the District were as prepared.

I am sure the school was following the plan that was already in place. Here is a suggestion to all the parents.... review the public documents at your children's schools! Do any of you take the time to do this? You just rely on someone else to do it? Why do you think there are such things as CERT. Get involved so you can make a difference! Stop blaming others. There is also the National Incident Management System. You can find it online and take the study course right from your own home.

Also, did anyone think about those who went into the schools checking to make sure all the children were out? I send out a big thank you to them! They went in to the buildings not knowing if they were going to be blown to bits. They might not have made it home to their families.
Stop whining and look at what can be done in case this happens again and thank those who did their jobs. Kudos!

The Teachers, Staff and Parents at Soldier Hollow Charter School handled the evacuation expertly. They took the students on a impromtu nature walk to a safe distence away from the building. SHCS was not targeted in then threat however, the staff still thought it necessary to evacuate the school.

Now, I live directly in the vicinity of the North School or rather District Office. I heard the sirens scream past my home at around 1:00 p.m. As my neighbor and I stood outside and watched the police enter, exit and re-enter the building we had no idea what was going on. We never saw any dogs or special teams enter the building. It was not until after 2:00 that we where told of the "bomb threat" and evacuation of all schools.

There should have been better communication to parents and the homes around the facilities.

A few years ago there was a suspicious package at the Post Office. The News Papers reported that 130 homes where evacuated. I live one block north of the post office. We where not evacuated. Nobody was evacuated.

Heber City get it together!

Julie (and all the others complaining!) here is the message to you....GET INVOLVED! Why are you leaving your safety up to someone else. Join CERT, attend your city counsel meetings, take the National Incident Management course (so you have the skills you need and become a resource), join the safety committee,don't have one then get one formed, do something.

Get your butt out from in front of your computer and do something!

Sounds like they tried to do it right 'I dont live there so dont know what is on the other side of the church. if it is A parking lot the children should have been taken there but if it is someones lawn maybe just walked down the sidewalk .and yes they should let every one know ASAP But thank god no one was hurt

my little brother was so scared about it. he came home crying. i told him that nothing was going to happen. THANK GOD NOTHING HAPPEN