A weapon was recovered from the vehicle of an SM North student Oct. 3, according to a letter emailed to parents by Principal Jeremy Higgins.

The weapon was allegedly reported to administration by a student after the end of the school day. An associate principal and school resource officer then retrieved the weapon from the vehicle. According to the email, there were no threats made or injuries sustained.

“I can assure you that stringent protocol was followed and all appropriate actions took place,” the letter to parents read. “While this is certainly a concerning situation, it is indicative of a system that is working to keep our students safe.”

The full letter can be read below:

October 3, 2018

To parents of Shawnee Mission North students,

I am writing to let you know about an incident that happened at our school. After school today, a student disclosed to administration that a student had a weapon in their vehicle, which was located in the school parking lot. An administrator and school resource officer retrieved the weapon, and no one was injured. I can assure you that this incident will be handled in accordance with district policy, along with state and federal laws.

This incident did not involve any direct threat to either students or staff. The weapon remained in the vehicle until it was removed by district staff. The school was never on lockdown and the incident was handled very quickly by the district administrative and police staff. I can assure you that stringent protocol was followed and all appropriate actions took place. While this is certainly a concerning situation, it is indicative of a system that is working to keep our students safe.

In the Shawnee Mission School District, the safety and security of our students is paramount to ensure a productive learning environment. In every instance, we will fully investigate any report from a student that raises concerns. Please encourage your child to talk to someone about anything they see or hear that bothers them – whether that’s you, a teacher, the school nurse or me. We are listening.

If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeremy Higgins
Principal
Shawnee Mission North