PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lorie Kneeshaw

09.10.2021 989-358-5042
kneeshawl@alpenaschools.com

Clarification of Events Related to Alpena High School

Early Thursday morning, there were three separate and unrelated events that occurred on the
Alpena High School campus shortly before classes were scheduled to begin. Unfortunately,
these events have been subjected to wild speculation and rumors on social media. This
document is intended to provide clarification of what actually happened.

The first isolated event involved a medical emergency on an APS bus for which an ambulance
was dispatched. APD Officers responded as a precaution due to an unknown medical issue.

A second event involved a student in the hallway disregarding directives by school personnel
causing a disturbance to the school environment. As this event escalated and rose to the level
of a potential risk to the safety of students and staff, our APS APD Liaison Officer was called
upon to assist to minimize the risk. Despite the rumor that a taser was used, only minor
interventions took place. This incident was not related to any other events.

A third event involved a small group of students wearing flags and memorabilia as a show of
support for a fellow student who was involved in a dispute on social media. The actions of this
group caused a substantial disruption to the school day by creating a climate of intimidation.
Following directives from AHS administrators, students removed their flags and memorabilia.

Throughout the day, administration met with numerous parties to continue the investigation of
this event and to determine the intent behind students’ actions. The ramifications of the actions
of a few students negatively affected the entire student body, staff, and community. As the
investigation continued, students were held accountable for their choices per the Alpena High
School Code of Conduct. Alpena Public Schools has made it very clear that this type of
behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
After the school day ended, the behaviors continued on social media, exacerbating an already
tense climate. Late Thursday evening, Alpena Police Department was notified of a potential
violent threat to the school. In collaboration with APD, APS administration determined the best
course of action to ensure the safety of our students and staff was to close the high school on
Friday. As an additional precaution, administration collaborated with APD, Sheriff’s Department,
and Michigan State Police to increase police presence at each of our school buildings that were
in session.

After a thorough investigation that lasted most of the day on Friday, APS is pleased to share that
APD ultimately determined there was not an actual threat to the school. The information leading
to the closure of AHS, it was discovered, was due to the spreading of misinformation based
upon assumptions by an individual no longer living in the Alpena community. This individual did
have social media connections to many in our school community, resulting in a swift and broad
spread of a perceived threat.

Alpena High School students will return to campus on Monday. Support for students and staff
will be in place to appropriately respond to and process these events. High School students
and families should look to the AHS Student Parent Weekly Update for detailed information.

We are confident that our students and community will come together and move forward in a
positive and productive manner following these events.

As with any situation of this nature, it is our responsibility to provide accurate and appropriate
information to parents and our community in a timely fashion. We appreciate the community’s
patience as we worked to fulfil this responsibility. Alpena Public Schools is grateful for the
ongoing partnership with the Alpena Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department, and the
Michigan State Police for their role in supporting our district and community.