Saugerties Gal BoxA™ Saugories, NY 12477 ~ (G45) 247 A551 > Fax (645) 248 5364 wow saugorioa KT ny8 Office of the Superintendent February 28, 2018 Dear Parents/Guardians: On February 20, 2018, I wrote to encourage people to speak-up if you see things or know things that are problematic. As a school district and community, we promote the mantra “If you see something ~ say Today I follow up to let you know that on February 21, 2018, a student brought a concen to the attention of a teacher at Saugerties High School. The teacher promptly notified the high school principal, who immediately shared the information with me and the School Resource Officer. The Saugerties Police initiated a comprehensive investigation into the report, and remained diligent. The investigation of the incident has resulted with two individuals being arrested on February 27, 2018, for multiple charges, including Felony Criminal Possession of a Weapon. ‘The weapons were not on school property, nor was there a direct threat articulated against our school, yet social media posts by one of those arrested indicate a fascination with violence which is alarming to the reader. The Saugerties Police Department and the Ulster County District Attorney's Office have generated a press release on the arrests, which include details of the incident, Holley Camwright, District Attomey for Ulster County, stated, “Yesterday was a day for the good guys. As I read, heartbroken, of the senseless, tragic, mass shooting slaughters that happen around our country I struggle with a host of emotions and frustrations. Always present is my belief that these events do not happen in a vacuum. I believe that there must be signs, people, particularly parents, have to have some idea that something is terribly wrong long before the actual tragedy. I am so thankful to live in a community where the people who received [disturbing] posts reported it to the police.” “This investigation is an example of how community members, school district administrators and law enforcement authorities can effectively work together when everyday people become involved, Had it not been for the initial reporting of this event by the individuals whom had seen the original post, who knows what the end result could have been. As the police chief of our community, | thank the individual who had the courage to come forth with this information and took an active stance in reporting the postings, rather than taking a passive posture,” said Town of Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra. Caring for our children must be a collaborative effort. Please know that any and all reports of suspicious behavior or significant concerns will be thoroughly investigated by police and school officials. If you have a question or concem, please contact a building administrator to discuss. In this situation, the mantra “If you see something — say something” worked. Sinceyély, I. Turner