A threatening note in which someone promised to shoot up a high school on Governors Island sent the facility into lockdown for the second time in two months, the Daily News learned Thursday.
The famed Governors Island high school was shut down Tuesday after the scary letter was discovered in a classroom, according to a letter sent home to families by Harbor School Principal Jeffrey Chetirko and obtained by The News Thursday.
“This afternoon, a note was found in a classroom that contained a threat to the school,” the letter said. “NYPD was called and officers immediately responded. In accordance with DOE safety protocols, our building was placed on soft lockdown until the building was deemed safe.”
Harbor School junior Chris Hernandez said the lockdown occurred without warning.
“We all had to stand in the corner of the room,” Hernandez said. “My friends were sending me text messages saying there were threats to shoot up the school.”
A similar threatening note caused a lockdown at the Harbor school on Feb. 5 that lasted 70 minutes.
Education Department officials said school staffers are working with police on investigations of the incidents. Both threats were deemed noncredible, officials said.
A letter sent home to parents by Chetirko following the Feb. 5 incident stated the threat that day was made anonymously.
Education Department spokeswoman Miranda Barbot said providing families with information on threats made against schools is a critical goal in safety protocols.
“The Harbor School sent a detailed letter home to families following both lockdowns, and we will continue to communicate with families as we work closely with the NYPD on their investigations,” Barbot said.
On Thursday morning, Harbor School students were subjected to scanning by school safety agents before they were permitted to board the ferry that brings them to class.
Founded in 2003, the Harbor school enrolls 503 students and is famous as the only public school on Governors Island. The school is known for its maritime curriculum that includes topics such as aquaculture and scuba.
