Update: This article has been updated with news of CMS Principal Janna Sirowich’s communication.

WESTPORT–The Westport Police Department said that the Monday opening of Coleytown Elementary School was delayed by a bomb threat. 

Superintendent of School Thomas Scarise explained the incident in a town-wide memo sent out a little after 10 a.m.:

I want to provide an update regarding the incident that occurred this morning involving a reported threat to Coleytown Elementary School.

At approximately 7:45 a.m., the Fairfield County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 text message reporting a bomb threat to Coleytown Elementary School. Shortly thereafter, the Westport Police Department (WPD) contacted district administration, and we immediately implemented our established safety protocols, which is particularly challenging during morning transportation runs.

By 8:15 a.m., a message was sent to Coleytown Elementary families notifying them of a two-hour delayed start while the WPD, supported by the Stamford Police Bomb Squad and their explosive detection K9 unit, conducted a search of the building.

During this time, staff and students who were already on site were safely relocated to Coleytown Middle School, in addition to any buses in route.  As a precaution, Coleytown Middle School was briefly placed under a shelter-in-place directive while the investigation was underway.

By 9:10 a.m., the WPD and their Stamford partners cleared the building, confirming that no explosive devices were found. Coleytown Elementary was deemed safe, and normal operations will resume, with students expected to arrive between 10:45 and 11:00 a.m. The CMS shelter-in-place was lifted.

The incident remains under investigation by the Westport Police Detective Bureau.

A little after 5 p.m., Scarice sent out an end-of-day follow-up, which included the following:

At CMS, Principal Janna Sirowich provided clear and compassionate communication throughout the morning.

At 8:25 a.m., she addressed all students and staff in the cafeteria and auditorium, explaining that while a threat had been made to CES, police determined it was not credible and that these actions were being taken as a precaution.  She reassured everyone that the shelter-in-place was precautionary, encouraged calm, and asked students to refrain from using cell phones and Chromebooks. She made a follow-up intercom announcement later thanking students and staff for their cooperation and composure and confirming that the shelter-in-place had been lifted and normal routines could resume. She also reminded students that support was available for anyone feeling uneasy.