Dear Warrior Family,

I am writing to follow up on the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) report on their investigation following last week’s lockdown, as well as the threats circulated by students on social media over the weekend. I want to provide you with an update on the steps Wakefield and APS are taking to support student and staff safety and security moving forward.

Per the police report, the trespasser was arrested and charged and is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility. Per the police report, no weapon was observed during the incident. In the investigation, we learned that several other students were involved. The students involved have been identified and have received disciplinary action, including immediate removal from school grounds and prohibition from returning to Wakefield.

There will be continued ACPD patrols in and around the school this week as a precautionary measure. We will also have additional staff monitoring transitions and other unstructured time in hallways and other spaces outside classrooms.

We continue to have the support of the central threat assessment team and staff from the Office of Safety, Security, Risk and Emergency Management on site this week, as well as four designated school safety coordinators (SSCs) who are always on the premises. The SSCs are part of our Wakefield crisis management team, that includes myself, our Director of Counseling, and other staff.

Additionally, our doors remain locked during the school day, and we have hired additional staff to monitor the entrance and cover students entering after 8:30 a.m. All students entering after 8:30 a.m. will need to show their ID or StudentVUE credentials to enter the building.

I urge everyone to remind students and colleagues not to open or hold the door for anyone who is outside, including peers. During the school day, everyone should enter the building through door A1 where they can be screened, and their identity verified.

All visitors must check in through the main office. We appreciate everyone’s continued vigilance and support with reporting concerning behavior to me or another trusted adult immediately. If you see something, say something.

We understand that members of our community have questions and concerns. We are planning to hold a virtual townhall session. Details will be shared in the coming days.

The safety of our students and staff remains our utmost priority. Thank you for your partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Chris Willmore

Principal

Wakefield High School