A blog site entry on May 29, under the host name “ardsleysucks,” contained an entry titled “the-plot-to-bomb-ardsley.” The entry contained two short video clips of the unidentified student. After three students notified an administrator, the superintendent evacuated the school as a precaution. Police said no they do not believe there has been any criminal wrongdoing and that “credible threat” has been found, though the investigation is continuing.

In addition, Ardsley’s interim superintendent Jason Friedman said the evacuation has shifted testing plans for students taking the state social studies exam.

Friedman said part one of the test was disrupted today because of the evacuation. The district plans to give part two of the test tomorrow and will administer part one of the test on Thursday, which was already scheduled as a day for make-up exams.

He said the district is awaiting word from the state on its plans, but believes they will be approved.

Continue reading to see the official press release from the police department.

MEDIA RELEASE

POLICE DEPARTMENT
TOWN OF GREENBURGH
188 TARRYTOWN RD
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK 10607-1699
TEL: (914) 682-5300
FAX: (914) 949-7116

DATE: June 3, 2008 INCIDENT: Ardsley Middle School Evacuation

Approximately 7:50 a.m. today, an administrator at the Ardsley Middle School, which is located in the Town of Greenburgh, was approached by three students who provided him with a website address and suggested he take a look at it. The website is a blog channel supported by ustream. On a blog site entry posted on May 29th, under the host name of “ardsleysucks”, was an entry entitled, “the-plot-to-bomb-ardsley”. The entry contained two short video clips of a 14-year old Ardsley Middle School student. There was no audio narrative associated with the videos and, except for the title of the entry, no further explanation of what the title intended. The administrator immediately notified the school principal who, in turn, contacted the Superintendent of Schools who decided to evacuate the Middle School buildings as a precaution. The police were contacted and between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m., the Middle School children were transported by bus to the high school from which they were dismissed. The Greenburgh and Ardsley Police Departments sent resources to the school to assist and secure the facility and bomb sniffing dogs from the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and Rockland County Sheriff’s Office responded and checked the building with negative results.

Although the investigation into this incident is continuing, at this point the Greenburgh Police Department has found no criminal wrongdoing and has no reason to believe there is a credible threat to the safety of children attending the school.

On Sunday night, the Greenburgh Police Department received information from a Middle School parent involving what they perceived to be a threat to harm students at the Middle School that was made by the same 14-year old student sometime prior to the blog entry posting. The Police Department has closed its investigation into that matter finding no criminality. School officials were completely apprised of the department’s findings.

For additional information contact
Lt. Christopher McNerney
Public Information Officer
(914) 682-5339