ROANOKE, Va. – Hidden Valley High School’s classes were delayed this morning after an early morning bomb threat forced the school to evacuate. Officials were made aware of the threat a little before 8 a.m., and after an approximately 30-minute search, the school was deemed safe for students to return to. The school operated on a modified schedule for the remainder of the day.
Officials say students already at the school or on buses were sent to a secure off-site location as the school was swept. “We sent out an immediate alert to all families to let them know first and foremost parents do not bring your kid to school,” said Chuck Lionberger, Roanoke County Public Schools Director of Community Relations.
While the incident caused concern, Lionberger emphasized that staff, particularly School Resource Officers (SROs), are well-prepared for such situations.
“We practice and rehearse these things for when this does have to happen. Fortunately, this situation was a nonentity,” Lionberger said.
SROs have been an integral part of Roanoke County Schools’ security strategy for more than two decades. Sgt. Alex Wertz of the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office, who has served as an SRO at multiple schools, highlighted their critical role in emergency response.
“Response time in America is 3 minutes. It’s the fastest in the world, but with SROs in the schools, that three minutes drops down to three seconds,” Wertz said.
The school district maintains SROs at every Roanoke County public school, focusing on both response and prevention. According to Wertz, their visible presence serves as a deterrent.
“A lot of times just having the car sitting out here lets them know law enforcement is on scene already and it might deter them from trying something,” he said.
Beyond their security duties, SROs work to develop positive relationships with students. “They all come running up to me and high-fiving because they all remember from elementary school the connections we made,” Wertz said.
As the new academic year continues, these officers have resumed their daily posts, maintaining their commitment to student safety and community building.