Aberdeen School District addresses recent threats

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Back in December, Aberdeen, Montesano and Hoquiam high schools, along with local law enforcement, investigated what turned out to be a rash of baseless threats primarily scrawled on restroom stall walls. However, Aberdeen High School discovered yet another threat on Jan. 12.

Aberdeen school officials, along with the Aberdeen Police Department (APD), recently gathered students to educate them on the severity of making such threats.

According to the Jan. 16 Aberdeen School District newsletter, high school administrators convened class meetings in the auditorium where they teamed up with APD to discuss the consequences — it’s a felony — if perpetrators are caught. They also shared resources and strategies that students can employ should they feel threatened or unsafe at school.

In addition, Principal Aaron Roiko and Assistant Principal Rachel Wenzel emailed the following letter to parents:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This email is to follow up on the automated phone message that went out yesterday (Monday, January 12) from our school. A written threat was found in a bathroom wall, the Aberdeen Police Department was contacted and an investigation ensued. No credible threat was found.

In the events on Dec. 15, Dec. 18 and Jan. 12, the school was placed in a HOLD status in accordance with our Safety Response Protocol so an investigation could be conducted. A HOLD means students and staff remain in their current rooms or areas, keeping hallways clear, while instruction can continue until an “All Clear” is given.

It is unfortunate that we are continuing to see messages such as these being left at school. We are writing to stress that the safety of students and staff is our utmost priority. All reports are taken seriously.

Keeping students and staff safe is our highest priority and we take our obligation to keep families informed just as seriously. We hope you will take the guidance below into consideration.

When a threat, whether real or perceived, comes to your attention, please advise the school first. If a student tells you about a threat, please advise them not to share the information on social media or via text as sharing could hamper the investigation.

If you have concerns about what you perceive may be happening, or have heard from sources other than the district, call the main office at 360-538-2040.

In the event of a true emergency or a concerning threat, the district will take appropriate steps to establish safe conditions in collaboration with the Aberdeen Police Department and will communicate to families via Blackboard as soon as possible.

In the event of a true emergency, students will not be released until police advise that it is safe to do so. In these instances, please do not come to the school until we are able to share with you that students can be signed out.

Please make sure your contact information – including email address – is always up to date to ensure you are receiving our messages to families.

Unless it is coming from an official school district or police department account, please do not rely on social media for emergency decision-making.

It is our sincere hope that this email serves as reassurance that your student’s safety is our top priority. We understand – and share – your anxiety in these situations. We believe that following a plan while facts are established will result in the best possible outcomes. And please know that in a true emergency, we will always share information with you as soon as possible.