The following is a letter from the Atlantic Community School District  Board of Directors.  The letter was sent home with students at AHS on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011.

February 3, 2011

Dear Atlantic Community Schools Parents,

During the Public Comment Section of the February 2, 2011 School Board meeting, several members of the public addressed the Board about student safety concerns in general and, in particular, an incident that occurred at Atlantic Middle School on January 21, 2011.   It is unfortunate that much of the information that has been reported is not accurate.

Based upon the comments that were made to the Board, it is clear that there has been some confusion, frustration, and misinformation regarding the incident and the District’s response to what occurred, including the District’s investigation of the incident and any disciplinary action the District has taken as a result of the incident.  Although several individuals who addressed comments to the Board requested that the District provide the public with more detailed information regarding the incident and the District’s response, the District cannot provide much of the information requested because the District is required by law to keep confidential information about the investigation and any disciplinary action taken as a result of the incident.

What can be shared is that the District performed an appropriate investigation of the incident and has cooperated with law enforcement in regard to its investigation of what occurred.  The student who was involved in the incident has been appropriately disciplined, and several safeguards have been put into place to provide a safe environment for all students involved.  The District will continue to monitor the situation to determine what additional measures can be put into place to prevent any other such incidents from occurring.

The safety and well-being for all students who attend the Atlantic Community School District is a very high priority for the Board and the District’s staff members.  The District takes concerns about student safety very seriously and is committed to providing a safe and orderly school environment for all of the District’s students.

We appreciate the support the community has shown to the District throughout the years and we, as your school board, continue to be dedicated to providing a safe school environment and a high quality education for all of the District’s students.

Sincerely,

The Atlantic Community School District Board of Directors