Edina to host school safety forum after last month's threats

School, city and police leaders to address safety and security in meeting planned during the summer,

October 3, 2023 at 9:25PM
A threatening video posted online forced Edina High School and a nearby middle school to shift to virtual instruction in September. (Edina school district/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

After threats forced Edina schools to close twice last month, the district is holding a forum with school leaders and Edina's police chief to talk school safety.

The meeting set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Edina High School had been planned during the summer, according to the district. But the recent threats — a social media video of a teenage boy with a gun outside the high school and ominous messages allegedly left by 10- and 11-year old girls — highlighted the urgency of the panel.

None of the people accused of making the threats are current or former Edina students.

The panel Thursday is part of revised school safety plans, with the district pledging clearer communication about security and safety issues at schools.

The Edina school district expanded its emergency response teams during the summer to loop in more staff including teachers and lead custodians in each building rather than just principals and district administrators, according to Natasha Monsaas-Daly, the school's director of media and technology. Edina also updated its policies around communication with school families during emergencies after muddled communication during a lockdown this past spring.

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Josie Albertson-Grove

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Josie Albertson-Grove covers politics and government for the Star Tribune.

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