Superintendent Orndorff Sends A Message To Parents and Students

On Thursday evening, Superintendent of Public Instruction for Park County School District #6, Vernon Orndorff, sent out an automated message with a Youtube link thanking students, teachers, parents and the community for their assistance in dealing with multiple disturbances in area schools this week.  Orndorff said he especially wanted to thank students for “responding in a manner that kept them safe as well.”

Although there were no injuries to students or faculties in the middle of the confusion on Monday and Wednesday, Superintendent Orndorff did recognize that in reaching out to “our industrial partners, there were some glitches as we communicate situations out to our families. So I appreciate the input that we’ve received. I also want to thank our families for all the positive remarks and comments back to us.”

Monday, Cody and Powell high schools were “swatted” by social media post received by Cody PD about a possible active shooter.  Law enforcement immediately responded and determined there was not threat to either school.  Other schools in Wyoming were also swatted in 9 other counties as part of a nation-wide trend of schools and colleges receiving calls or social media posts about an imminent attack that is then deemed not credible.  On Wednesday, a social media post was seen by someone outside the district and related to someone in District 6.  Police were alerted about a the post that stated, “CHS is going down,” as a possible attack on Cody High School.  The school went into lockdown mode, as well as Cody Middle School, until it was determined that the threat was a years-old post and concerned the town of Clovis, New Mexico.

In his video, Superintendent Orndorff stated that in the future the school district is “going to do our very best every time and take these actions very seriously to keep our scholars safe and our employees safe.”