Bellefonte Area High School prom safety assembly postponed after false threat

A Bellefonte Area High School assembly was postponed Wednesday afternoon after administrators were made aware of a non-credible threat.

The district’s Prom Promise assembly, which includes a a mock car accident with first responders and a Life Flight helicopter, was interrupted after rumors of the threat spread, superintendent Tammie Burnaford wrote in an email to district families.

“Through the investigation, law enforcement determined that the information was part of a rumor or gossip that started among a few students, perhaps in another school, several days ago, and may not have been specific to the assembly at all,” Burnaford wrote. “But, out of an extreme abundance of caution, we decided to postpone the assembly to later in the week.”

All students and staff were and are safe, Buranford wrote.

Burnaford said law enforcement would continue to be present at in the high school and other district buildings on Wednesday for reassurance, but the threat was deemed false. She emphasized that students should share any important safety information with district staff or the Safe2Say hotline and that students intentionally spreading false rumors could face disciplinary action.

“In today’s world, false rumors cause inconvenience, changes in schedules and downright fear in parents, students and staff,” Burnaford wrote.

This is not the first time the district has canceled events due to false threats. Bellefonte Area faced a hoax threat in March 2023 that placed the district schools in lockdown for several hours.