The following update about the bomb threat that forced students at FHN to evacuate on Monday, Sept. 23 was posted on the Francis Howell School District website on Sept. 26. The update from Head Principal Andy Downs is as follows:

Dear FHN Community,

We want to thank you for your patience and support as we worked through the bomb threat that was made Monday, September 23. As of this afternoon, a student has been arrested and charged with making the threat.

Thanks to the St. Peters Law Enforcement and the St. Louis Airport Canine Division for their immediate responsiveness and diligent work on this situation that interrupted school for our students. Thanks, too, to the Francis Howell North, Francis Howell Central and District staffs who worked to keep the students safe and secure while authorities were working the situation. To our great kids at Francis Howell North—we thank them as well. They were very patient as we evacuated and returned to school.

Bomb threats are taken very seriously and represent a potential danger to the safety and welfare of students and staff. Such threats disrupt the instructional program and learning environment and also place significant demands on school resources and public safety services. False bomb threats are a crime under Missouri law and students will be held responsible to the fullest extent of the law.

We encourage you to talk about this situation with your child to help him/her understand the importance of reporting anything that is suspicious to you or to an adult at school. Our staff will have some conversations with our students about this situation as well.

If you have questions, or concerns, please contact me.

Andy Downs
FHN Principal

To view our story on Monday’s bomb threat, click here.