Dear Lyle Families,

I am writing to inform you about a reported threat allegedly made verbally by a student, and the actions Lyle school district took to keep students and staff safe. Safety in our schools is our most important priority and we take all threats seriously. 

Late last night, Lyle school leaders were informed by the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office that a student had made a verbal threat while exiting school transportation yesterday.

I want to express my sincere thanks to our staff team for their quick action to keep everyone safe. We continue to work closely with law enforcement to support their investigative work. We are following recommended best practices and conducting a threat assessment to determine supportive, safety-focused measures that can be taken now and in the future in response to this event.

This is an active investigation and therefore we are limited in the information we can share as a result. School districts are bound by strict confidentiality requirements when it comes to releasing information about people. We will share additional information if/when we can. Questions about the law enforcement investigation should be directed to local law enforcement.

I understand the desire to know specific information about student discipline and safety protocols related to this threat. Laws protecting student confidentiality prohibit us from sharing individual student discipline information. Additionally, consistent with recommendations from law enforcement professionals, we do not share safety/emergency plan information because it could create a threat to the safety of our students and staff if it inadvertently got into the wrong hands.

We are committed to shaping a healthy school climate that is also secure. Thank you to teachers, support staff, school leadership, and students for keeping our school safe for all.

I encourage you to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

Dr. Ann Varkados, Superintendent 

Lori Smith, Principal

509-365-2211