On Friday afternoon, the district was informed by the Suffolk County Police Department via an automated text system that there was police activity in the West Islip area. Within minutes, we learned that a prisoner had escaped and was on the loose. SCPD was looking for the person utilizing on-the-ground searches as well as air support.

Schools took immediate action and went into a lockout plan. This means that we allow only school personnel to enter the building. The classrooms and internal business is not interrupted. The purpose is to keep the building secure.

In recent years, we have always had this procedure in place. However, many parents requested a ConnectEd call informing them of the situation, so we have made it part of our protocol. Although some may feel that this is overly cautious, we will continue to have your children and the staff's safety as our top priority, and thank you, as always, for your support.