By Alana Mitchelson
Drouin Primary School students were evacuated after several schools across the state received threatening phone calls this morning.
It was the students’ first day back after the summer holiday break, but their classes were cut short as they were promptly moved to the nearby Drouin Recreation Reserve.
Police attended the scene to conduct a safety check while the school enacted its safety procedure as a precaution.
A post to the school’s Facebook page about 10.30am on Wednesday 1 February attracted almost 300 shares and more than 100 comments.
“The school has received a threat this morning. The school is locked down and no-one is to arrive at school,” the post read.
“All children have been safely moved to Drouin Recreation reserve. We will be here for a few hours.
“We would like parents to come and collect your child from the rec reserve. You must sign your child out with their teacher.
“You cannot go to school and get your bag.”
The students and staff safely returned to the school grounds at noon and were taken back to their respective classrooms as per normal.
Drouin Primary School principal Brad Wheller sent a letter home with the students who had stayed at school for the remainder of the day.
“There was a threatening call to the school today which turned out to be a hoax. I can assure you that we are taking this seriously,” Mr Wheller wrote.
“We immediately notified police and enacted our emergency management plan, and the police attended our school.
“I’d like to thank our students and staff for the calm and efficient manner in which they conducted themselves. All children are safe and well. The safety and wellbeing of our students is always our top priority.
“Please work on the assumption that our school will be open unless we contact you again to explain otherwise.”
A Victoria Police spokesman told the Gazette that the investigations into these matters were “ongoing”.
