From Bethesda Today, story by reporter Ashlyn Campbell. Full story here.
School declared 'hold' status Wednesday, marking latest of several MCPS incidents this academic year
A BB gun was recovered Wednesday from a student’s backpack at Odessa Shannon Middle School in Silver Spring after a school community member reported that a student may have been in possession of a weapon, according to a letter sent from Principal Natasha Booms to the Silver Spring school community.
The school’s declaration of a “hold” status, which clears school hallways and keeps students and staff inside classrooms, marked at least the seventh incident since Montgomery County Public Schools began classes Aug. 26 that required a school to implement emergency protocols.
According to Booms’ letter, the student was “quickly identified” after the report of a potential possession of a weapon, and the object was determined to be a BB gun. “Out of an abundance of caution,” the school initiated a hold protocol at 2:16 p.m. while the matter was “thoroughly investigated.” The hold was lifted at 2:40 p.m. once the investigation was completed.
And:
When a school implements a hold status, students must clear the hallways and remain in a room or area until an “all clear” is announced, according to the MCPS website. Staff are required to close and lock classroom doors and account for all students and other adults, but classes should continue. The hold response is meant to be used to keep hallways clear during situations such as medical emergencies.
