This is Christopher Bernier, Superintendent of Schools. I am personally reaching out to you this evening to ask for your help. Our community priority is the safety, security and education of our students. During the past few days, there has been an increase in incidents involving threats made by, and against our students.

Safety in our community is a responsibility of everyone. If a student sees something, they must say something. As a member of our school and larger community, everyone has a moral responsibility to ensure the safety of all. Our staff and School Resource Officers are prepared to support any student who comes forward and protect the information that they provide.

Threatening behavior can not and will not be tolerated. Students involved in this type of action will be disciplined at a school level, but may face serious legal consequences as well. Some of these consequences may follow a child into adulthood, impacting their college, career and future.

Please take some time this evening to sit down and speak with your students about the importance of appropriate behavior both online and at school. It’s important for our students to clearly understand the consequences of their own behavior, but it is just as important they understand the responsibility they have to ensure safe learning environments. Remember, if they see something, then they have an obligation to say something, and we have a an obligation to to protect the information they provide.

I want to follow up with additional details from this afternoon’s incident in the cafeteria. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office recently released this statement:

This afternoon, detectives with our Youth Services Division arrested a 12-year-old female student at Lehigh Acres Middle School. The student brandished a weapon in the cafeteria threatening another student. This incident was isolated, and at this time there is no threat to any other students or faculty. The investigation remains active. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

This type of behavior is not tolerated at Lehigh Acres Middle School, so on top of the legal consequences the student involved will also be disciplined per the Student Code of Conduct.

Thank you for your trust, understanding and patience today.

Dr. Brian Gibson