Dear LCTI Families,

In recent days, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute has received repeated threats to school safety. As communicated this morning, we canceled classes for today, Wednesday, Nov. 16, out of an abundance of caution after receiving another threat via Safe2Say Something.

We are working with Pennsylvania State Police to investigate all of these threats. Although none of the threats have been deemed credible, we take each and every one of them seriously. State police have teamed up with the FBI and several municipal police departments and may make arrests soon.

Given the growing prevalence of violence on school campuses, these incidents have understandably caused stress and fear for our students, staff, and their families. Please know that we understand your frustrations and share your concerns.

We consulted with our education partners, law enforcement and staff today to determine how best to manage this situation while limiting further disruptions to learning at LCTI and our sending high schools. As a result, LCTI will be open tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 17, with additional security measures and personnel in place.

Those measures include the presence of Pennsylvania State Police and metal detectors on campus. Students are encouraged to bring only items they need to school tomorrow in order to speed up entry to the school and avoid unnecessary searches.

In addition, we’ve placed a variety of supports for students, staff members and other community members who may be struggling with feelings triggered by recent events at the school. Students can access a form via their Clever account to sign up for individual or group support sessions with our school counselors. Anyone who needs immediate assistance should call the Lehigh County Warmline at 610-820-8451.

Parents and guardians can help us avert future situations by talking with their students about Safe2Say Something, Pennsylvania’s youth violence prevention program. Safe2Say’s anonymous tip line is an invaluable tool that can save lives when used properly. Please make sure your student(s) know how to use Safe2Say the right way. And if you’re not sure, visit safe2saypa.org to learn more.

We want to reiterate that LCTI is committed to providing students with an excellent education in a learning environment where students are safe and feel secure. Recent events have frustrated our ability, but not our resolve to meet this commitment.

Thank you for listening, thank you for your patience, and thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

The LCTI Administrative Team