Bergen Teacher Fired, Said She'd 'Shoot Up' School: Officials

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The teacher who allegedly threatened to "shoot up" a Goddard school in Elmwood Park where she worked has been fired, the school's owner said Wednesday.

Gina Schroeder worked at the school for more than two-and-a-half years until she was fired Friday, the same day she was arrested. Before then, there were "no safety concerns" regarding her behavior, said Olga Dubinski, the school's owner. (See related: Bergen Teacher Said She Would 'Shoot Up' School: Police)

"If we ever did feel there was a safety threat to our children we would have addressed those concerns immediately, but before Friday there were no such concerns," Dubinski said. The Goddard school is for children who are 6 weeks to 6 years old.

Schroeder was the lead teacher in the school's infant room. She said recently a staff member noticed that Schroeder's behavior was "different." When she allegedly uttered the threat, it gave the school "reason for us to call the police," Dubinski said.

Schroeder, of Nutley, was arrested after police received a report that she allegedly made a statement to the effect of,"one day, I'm gonna come here and shoot it up," Chief Michael Foligno previously said.

Schroeder also told a staff member that she owns three guns, the chief said.

Dubinski said Schroeder passed her mandatory background check when she was hired.

Paul Koulogeorge, vice president of advertising, public relations, and innovation for Goddard Systems Inc., which operates the Goddard School Franchise system, could not be reached for comment.

At the time of the Friday threat, police placed the school on lock down and searched the building, and Schroeder's vehicle for weapons. None were found.

Elmwood Park Police requested Nutley Police go to Schroeder's home and take custody of her guns, which she legally owned, Foligno said.

Schroeder was charged with making terroristic threats and possession of prescription legend drugs. She was being held in the Bergen County Jail as of Tuesday night, police said.

The Elmwood Park Goddard School opened in February 2015.

Goddard schools are franchise-run institutions that provide child care and academic-based instruction at 460 schools in 36 states.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com