School's out! Hard to believe it's that time of the year. It was soooo hard to say goodbye to my 12 5th graders after 3 years together, but they're having a BBQ tomorrow night for me so I'll see 'em all at least once more. I've got a classic book as a gift for each one - I tricked them into "recommending" books they did not have for the classroom. Hehehe... 

A Hershey tradition that I absolutely love is that on the last day of school, all the faculty and staff go outside and wave to the kiddos as they leave. Imagine it, 18 buses chock full of kids, all crammed against the school-side windows of the bus, waving, cheering, laughing.... (It's a wonder the buses don't tip over from all the weight on the one side as they pass by us!) The teachers and staff lined up, waving, crying... (some high fiving, haha!) I love it.  

Hershey Lockdown

Pretty scary day yesterday, but things turned out okay. The dad was never close to Hershey, but was arrested on an outstanding warrant several counties away. As for the mom, she was later arrested for calling in a false threat.  Everyone was jittery as it unfolded, but the sheriff's response was immediate and the schools had a perimeter around them so fast, I could hardly believe it. There was even a squad car parked on the baseball field outside my classroom, protecting that side of the building.

After it was over, one of my kiddos helped lessen our jitters by piping up and saying, "Hey! We're now Current Events! Can we discuss ourselves??"

Warning puts two schools
on lockdown

Superintendent confident threat has
passed

Updated: Thursday, 07 May 2009, 10:57 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 07 May 2009, 10:56 AM EDT

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Hershey Elementary School and East Tipp Middle School are on an external lockdown.

Tippecanoe School Corporation Superintendent Scott Hanback said the buildings went on complete lockdown around 9:00 a.m. when a mother called Hershey Elementary and reported that her children's father was on his way to school to pick up the students.

The mother said the man was armed.

Officers with the Tippcanoe County Sheriff's Department arrived on the scene and established a perimeter around the two schools.

"The father was not there," said Hanback. "After about 30 minutes, the sheriff's department gave us the all clear. I am confident there is no longer a threat."

The schools were moved down from a complete lockdown to an external lockdown around 9:30 a.m.

Hanback said an external lockdown is close to the corporation's standard procedure. He said all doors of the school building are locked except for the front door. During an external lockdown an employee or intercom is used to let parents and others into the building.

During a complete lockdown students are not allowed to move outside their classrooms at all, in addition to the measures taken in an external lockdown.