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School Officials Address Series of Bomb Threats

PINE GROVE — The school year at Pine Grove Area High School isn’t off to the kind of start that many were hoping for. Within the last two weeks dist...

PINE GROVE -- The school year at Pine Grove Area High School isn't off to the kind of start that many were hoping for.

Within the last two weeks district officials said there have been four bomb threats made at the high school. These threats have canceled classes and after school activities.

The superintendent of the district tells Newswatch 16 that each of the threats have been made by different students.

District officials said all of the students responsible have been caught.

"I know the teachers are doing everything they can, the students are just frustrated that it keeps happening again and again. There is nothing that can be done to stop it, except catching the kids that are doing it," high school senior Michelle Lengel said.

District officials said thanks to the schools camera system they have been able to find the people behind the threats quickly.

The school district said they are not taking these threats lightly.

"They are going to face very significant criminal charges. They are going to be dealt with swiftly under the Pennsylvania school code up to and including expulsion," superintendent Dr. Kendy Hinkel said.

For parents who have kids both in the high school and the districts other schools, they believe these threats are impacting all kids in the district.

Fawn Sirvaugh has children in the elementary school, middle school, and high school.

While officials investigated some of the threats, high school students were moved to the middle school.

Sirvaugh said it is difficult to explain the nature of a bomb threat to her son.

"My son who is 10 is autistic so the bomb threats have effected him emotionally," Sirvaugh said.

The bomb threats are also having impacts on the local police department.

"We only have two full-time officers and a part-time officer, so yeah, it is taking a lot out of the borough," Mayor Will Shiffer said.

In the midst of all the threats, teachers and staff are trying to make sure that these threats stop.

"We're trying to make sure that we take the steps that we know what we're doing and staying on top of it," parent and teacher Paul Felty said.

School officials tell Newswatch 16 as a district they can't file charges against students who made the threats.

The school district superintendent told Newswatch 16 charges would go through the Pine Grove police department who they are working with.

Newswatch 16 tried to talk to the police department to see if charges are being filed, but nobody was available for comment.

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