Irvington News

Social Media Post Forced Lockdown at Irvington Schools

Published 2 months ago2m ago • Bookmarks: 138

March 11, 2025

By Rick Pezzullo–

A social media post from a student forced schools in the Irvington School District to go into lockdown Monday.

According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mara Ratesic, a “concerning” post containing a photo of a teenage student with a threatening caption was report to school administrators at approximately 11:40 a.m.

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Lockdown measures were immediately initiated at the high school and middle school, and Main Street and Dows Lane elementary schools were placed in a lockout where students and staff remained in the buildings and no outside visitors were provided access while the Irvington Police Department and other law enforcement agencies investigated.

Ratesic reported on Facebook that the student who made the post was quickly identified and questioned and it was determined the student did not pose a threat.

The lockdown and lockout ended after each classroom and space was cleared by police.

Simultaneously, Ratesic stated a fire alarm was triggered at the high school at approximately 12:45 p.m. The fire alarm was determined to be caused by a smoking microwave in the science building. A full evacuation was deemed unnecessary as it had the potential to cause more confusion.

“I want to thank law enforcement for their swift and immediate response. I would also like to thank the school administration, as well as the teachers and faculty for following protocols and keeping our students calm,” Ratesic stated. “Please be aware that all statements or actions that suggest a threat to the safety and security of our school populations are taken seriously. Any such statement comes with significant consequences, even if they are made jokingly and/or are deemed as not credible. We need the assistance of the entire community as we strive to provide the safest possible learning environment.”

“The Irvington School District takes the safety of all students and staff very seriously and recognizes the need to be transparent regarding incidents that may impact our school community,” she added. “We will always act out of an abundance of caution to ensure all our students and staff are safe both inside and outside of our buildings.”

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