Hello Hillmen Community,
On the evening of Sunday, December 14, 2025, the Platteville School District was a victim of a threat to the safety of our students and staff. In partnership with our local police departments, the threat has been determined as non-credible. There was an online message shared with the district in which a bomb threat was issued as a means of extortion.
We want to thank the student who came forward with this information. Together, we will continue to make our schools a safe place to learn.
Platteville School District Safety and Student Privacy
The district would like to thank those who have reached out expressing their concern and should know that those thoughts are emulated throughout our district. As the superintendent, I echo those thoughts of concern during these times and carry them with me as we work to strengthen our safety process throughout the year. As stated in previous messages, the district is committed to the safety of all students and staff. Through this commitment, additional school safety measures have been implemented along with our standard practices.
While we are prepared for many scenarios, the district will continue to employ best practices as we learn new information. As a school district, we have the following standard safety practices at each of our schools, (1) every door is locked throughout the day at our schools, (2) anyone who wishes to visit our schools is required to enter through a locked vestibule and check-in at our main offices with valid photo identification, (3) the district has working relationships with our local law enforcement agencies to improve safety guidelines, (4) our administration and guidance counselors are available to meet with any student or staff in need of support, and (5) our staff receives training on an annual basis to learn our safety practices to ensure thorough knowledge on the topic.
In addition to what was mentioned above, the Platteville School District has recently invested in safety film that was installed in high-traffic areas around our district to allow for additional moments of response time in the event of an emergency.
When a threat occurs, the district follows the rigorous practices outlined in our comprehensive safety plan. By working quickly and closely with local law enforcement, the district can determine if the threat is credible and what action needs to be taken. Following that determination, the district will take appropriate steps, if any, to increase safety, including canceling school, switching to virtual school, increasing police presence, and any other measure the district and law enforcement decide is appropriate.
At the Platteville School District, we are committed to the safety of our students and staff. With this in mind, we acknowledge why parents want as much information as possible. While our district aims to provide as many details on the event as we can, state and federal law requires us to retain information for the safety of all involved. For example, these laws prevent any school district from giving the name of the student(s) who made the threat as well as the name of any student(s) who might have been named in the threat (except to the parents/guardians of those students). These laws also prevent commenting on any school disciplinary consequences, including suspension and expulsion, that might be imposed on the student making the threat. These privacy laws also prevent the district from providing information that could be used to identify a student indirectly, which often prevents the district from revealing the context of the threats which may include details about which class or grade level might be affected by the threat. That level of specificity, in a district of our size, could lead to the indirect identification of the student, in violation of the law.
Concerning any law enforcement announcement, that is up to the Police Department and the legal standards applicable to law enforcement. However, law enforcement often doesn’t provide identifying information while an investigation is ongoing, and concerning minors, may never provide identifying information. The District collaborates with law enforcement on these threats to ensure safety. However, information about law enforcement consequences, if any, would come from the Police Department, other law enforcement, or the court system, and again with minors this information might not ever be publicly disclosed. Any questions about whether the Police Department will provide additional information should be directed to the Police Department, as the district cannot speak on its behalf. Nor can the Police Department speak for the district.
Safety has been and will continue to be a top priority for the Platteville School District. Thank you for helping us make our schools a safe, inclusive learning community for every student, every day.