Middletown HS Open Friday In Spite Of Apple AirDrop Threat

MIDDLETOWN, NY — Classes are in session Friday at Middletown High School after a threat circulated Thursday among students using Apple AirDrop.

Superintendent Amy Creeden, in a message to the community Thursday afternoon, said the district and the City of Middletown Police Department conducted separate investigations, but due to the number of times the image was shared, they were unable to determine where the threat originated.

She said the police, working with their cyber intel department, were unable to gain any information from the metadata which could lead to identifying the person who created the threat.

"At this time, we have no information which would cause us to close school" Friday, Creeden said.

There will, however, be some changes, she said.

The high school pep rally will be postponed to a later date, and there will be an increased police presence outside the building and around the campus of the high school and Twin Towers Middle School.

In addition to the two Middletown school resource officers who are at the high school on a regular basis, there will be three additional officers stationed inside the building all day Friday, Creeden said.

No athletic events will be canceled Friday, she said, and the Bell Game will be held as scheduled.

"Please know," Creeden said, "nothing is more important to us than the safety of our school community and we would not move forward with keeping the HS open tomorrow if there was a safety concern."

She also urged parents to talk to their children and reassure them the school is filled with people who care for them and look out for their safety and well-being.