10:30 A.M. UPDATE:
Hall County School District social media posting:
“We want to reassure you that we are taking every precaution to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
While the building is being thoroughly cleared, students are being safely supervised in the stadium, which has already been cleared. We are working diligently to return students to the building as soon as it is safe to do so.
During this time, we are:
• Providing students with water and making arrangements for lunch.
• Identifying students with medical needs or special needs and ensuring those needs are being addressed.
• Ensuring students have regular access to restrooms.
• Maintaining communication and coordination with our cluster schools.
•Closely monitoring students and providing for their comfort and well-being while they remain in the stadium.
•Permitting student drivers to leave campus.
Parents who wish to pick up their students should enter through the middle school entrance, where they will receive directions for student pickup.
We understand that situations like this can be concerning for families. Please know that student safety is our highest priority, and we are taking a deliberate and thorough approach while working to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and trust as we work through this situation.”
10:40 A.M. FROM THE HALL CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE (HCSO):
“The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a bomb threat involving Cherokee Bluff
High School. HCSO personnel, including explosive detection K9s, are on scene at the school.
HCSO is working with the Hall County School District to ensure the safety of students and
staff.
The threat appears to be similar to those received overnight at schools in Jackson County.
Up to this point, no actual explosive devices have been discovered. Any reported incident
will be treated as legitimate until proven otherwise. Investigators say the series of threats
was possibly generated by AI. Agency investigators are in communication with state
officials at GEMA and the GBI as the investigation into the source of the threats continues.
EARLIER STORY. 9:15 A.M.:
Bomb threats this morning to several Jackson County schools prompted school officials to cancel classes at all schools in the system for the day.
“This morning multiple schools received an anonymous computer-generated bomb threat,” a notice on the system’s website says. “Authorities were notified and an investigation commenced. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is working through a deliberate process of clearing our school buildings.”
The notice goes on to explains classes were canceled “Given the magnitude of the investigation and the length of time it will take to clear the impacted buildings…”
A decision regarding extracurricular activities will be made later today.