A “soft lockdown” in effect on Wednesday at Nichols Middle School has been lifted for the resumption of classes on Thursday
The lockdown, where no one was allowed in or out of the school but teaching continued, was imposed after a threatening message was discovered on a stall in a girls’ bathroom by a member of the staff.
In an email to parents, principal Marcus Wright said that the message “indicated a threat to cause harm” to the Nichols community, and the soft lockdown was instituted “out of an abundance of caution.”
“The threat was not directed towards any specific individuals but indicated the possibility of violence tomorrow, Jan. 20,” Wright’s email said.
Nothing actually happened, but the incident remains under investigation.
An individual in the Nichols office told Evanston Now that the lockdown was not re-instituted Thursday morning.
In his email, principal Wright said, “We fully recognize the fear and anxiety that this situation will inevitably cause in our community,” however, it was vital to take necessary safety steps as a precaution.
A police department spokesperson told Evanston Now there will be additional, visible patrol cars near Nichols on Thursday.
This incident comes about a month after two guns were found at Evanston Township High School, which led to the arrest of three students.