Regina High School Victim of Bomb Hoax

There was some unfun excitement not too far from my home this morning. Somebody called Regina High School, the local Catholic high school, and threatened to "blow up the school." The students were evacuated to a nearby church, classes were eventually canceled, and bomb-sniffing dogs were called in to save the day. Fortunately, there were no bombs on the property.

Parents received the following email messages from the president and CEO of Regina Catholic Education Center, Lee Iben:

From: "Lee Iben"
To: [Private]
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 7:28:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Emergency Bomb Threat

Regina has received a bomb threat. All students, faculty, and staff have been evacuated to our safe zone.

Everyone is safe and off campus. At this time we are working with the authorities to determine if classes will resume. I will notify you as soon as I know more.

Lee Iben

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From: "Lee Iben"
To: [Private]
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 7:57:17 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: classes cancelled


The decision has been made to cancel classes for today. Please refer to constant contact for pick up instructions:
K-12 at First Presbyterian Church on Rochester Avenue.
Preschool students are at Midwest One Bank on Rochester and First Avenue.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

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From: "Regina Administration"
To: [Private]
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 8:10:32 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Immediate Notice of School Cancellation

REGINA CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTER

Immediate NOTICE of school cancellation

Dear Regina Families,

We have had to evacuate our school. We have put in place our emergency planning. All students are safe.

At this time we ask your patience and cooperation as we begin to dismiss students to their parent/guardian as school has been canceled for the remainder of the day.

We will dismiss in an orderly fashion:

Students K-12 are at the First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave.

We ask that parents who have last names A-L, come to pick up their children beginning at 10:15. Please enter the driveway at the north entrance from Mt. Vernon Drive and depart from the south.

Parents with last names M-Z should begin pick up 10:45.

A-L 10:15

M-Z 10:45

DO NOT COME TO THE DOORS, students will be brought to the cars.

Preschoolers are at Midwest One Bank at the corner of First Avenue and Rochester. Pick up for them will also begin at 10:15.

Again, thank you for your patience and cooperation to make this pick up go smoothly. At this time, information has not been shared with the students, please remain calm as we have tried to keep the students calm.

Administration of Regina

I will admit that my first fear was that some crazy LGBT person issued the bomb threat. So far, the newspaper comments have avoided that possibility -- instead questioning whether or not it was a stupid kid. There have also been complaints that the whereabouts of the children were published by the newspapers.