Rancho Cotate High School evacuated after bomb threat

A bomb threat sent to a Rancho Cotate High School official on Wednesday led administrators to cancel classes and send students home early, clearing the Rohnert Park campus before police and bomb squad officers searched the area and deemed the school safe.

School board member Tim Nonn said a bomb threat was emailed Wednesday morning to the school's principal, Amie Carter. It was the second threat sent to the school in about a week, he said.

Rohnert Park public safety officials sent out notice of “police activity” on campus shortly before noon Wednesday. By 12:45 p.m., they announced that all Rancho Cotate students had been sent home.

“It was a very calm, well-ordered evacuation,” said Lanny Lowery, an English teacher at the high school.

He said it was just after 11:30 a.m. when school officials came on the loudspeaker and asked students and faculty to gather at the football field. Lowery said he and the 28 juniors in his third-period class grabbed their belongings and headed for the field, unaware threats were sent to the campus.

“They didn't tell us why at that time,” he said, adding that they were told to stay away from the quad area of the campus as they exited their classrooms and headed for the field.

Carter, the principal, informed students and faculty about the threats once they were out on the field, Lowery said. Students then were allowed to use their cellphones to inform their parents they were safe, he added.

The senior class was first released from school. The underclassmen then followed. Authorities had asked parents to go to University Square if they were unable to locate their children.

“It went smoothly considering 1,500 students had to leave class and walk to the stadium,” said Jazmine Johnston, a senior at Rancho Cotate who was without her car keys and other possessions as the school was locked down. “We all just stood on the field looking at each other like, “What's going on?'”

Police cleared the campus and the Sonoma County sheriff's bomb squad searched the area before the school determined to be safe by 1 p.m., said the Rohnert Park public safety Cmdr. Aaron Johnson. School district officials confirmed in a statement that administrators and faculty received a threatening email about “bombs and other forms of violence.”

Superintendent Robert Haley in a statement commended the administration and staff for their response.

“They responded calmly, followed the instructions they were given and communicated with students,” he said. “Furthermore, our students were well behaved and followed our instructions.”

He also thanked law enforcement for their “rapid response” and efforts to keep students safe. Haley encouraged families to sign up on Nixle.com, which allows government agencies to send instant alerts on public safety matters. Rohnert Park public safety officials used the online service to inform residents about the school evacuation.

The school district emailed parents about the evacuation and posted information on its website and Facebook page, Haley said.

Lowery said administrators told faculty that the threatening emails discussed pipe bombs and possible shooters. Faculty and students weren't allowed back in the buildings Wednesday afternoon, he said.

The school canceled all athletic events scheduled for Wednesday. Classes will resume Thursday, district officials said.

Rohnert Park police and the FBI are working to identify who sent the bomb threat, Johnson said in a statement. He said it's unclear at this time whether it was related to last week's bomb threat.

“They will look at all aspects of both cases as they continue their investigation,” Johnson said.

You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 707-521-5458 or eloisa.gonzalez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @eloisanews.