Lynndale Elementary School in Lynnwood issued a letter to parents Wednesday alerting them to “a potential safety concern” involving a former student who now attends a Mountlake Terrace private school.

“We are working with the Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood police departments as they thoroughly investigate the threat,” said Dana Geaslen, Edmonds School District assistant superintendent and Lynndale school supervisor. “Initial information indicates the threat is targeted to a select few students in our school and we are working directly with those families.

“We take every threat seriously and will have increased security on our campus through Friday out of an abundance of caution,” Geaslen added. “The student responsible for the safety threat is not allowed on campus.”

According to Mountlake Terrace Police Commander Mike Haynes, the incident involves an 11-year-old boy who attends school in Mountlake Terrace. The boy “had been writing/drawing things on a desk in regards to student(s) from Lynndale Elementary,” Haynes said. “A teacher noticed the writing/drawing, which was menacing/threatening in nature.”

Lynndale Elementary staff and parents were then notified of the incident. “The situation will be handled administratively by the schools/families involved,” Hanes added.

Here’s the full letter:

Dear Lynndale Elementary families and staff,

Today, a nearby school that is not part of our district, informed us of a potential safety concern involving one of our former students.

We are working with the Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood police departments as they thoroughly investigate the threat. Initial information indicates the threat is targeted to a select few students in our school and we are working directly with those families.

We take every threat seriously and will have increased security on our campus through Friday out of an abundance of caution. The student responsible for the safety threat is not allowed on campus.

It’s normal for students to be upset following a threat of safety. If you need additional emotional support for your student, please contact our office to connect you to our school counselors.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Dana Geaslen
Assistant Superintendent and School Supervisor of Lynndale Elementary