William S. Cohen School In Bangor Evacuated After Threat

It was a nerve-wracking morning for parents who have kids that attend the William S. Cohen School in Bangor.

Word began to circulated via social media around 11:30 AM that a local school was being evacuated due to a threat. This was confirmed just before noon by the Bangor School District, when they alerted parents that students from the school had been moved from the school and that authorities were on- hand conducting an investigation.

Parents were notified that all the children had been taken from the Cohen School on Garland Street to the safety of a nearby facility, while authorities swept the school space for any dangers.

Raymond Phinney, spokesperson for the Bangor School Department says authorities ultimately deemed the threat to be a hoax, and when the school was deemed safe, were the students brought back. Their parents also had the option to pick them up directly.

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"After completing their evaluation, first responders determined there was no credible threat and confirmed that the building was safe for students and staff to return...
The well-being of students remains the highest priority. School counselors, teachers, and administrators will be available to provide support to any student who would like to discuss today's events. The Bangor School Department appreciates the continued support and understanding of families as we work together to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for all students."

Many parents took to social media to voice their concerns and frustrations with Maine's new "Bell-to-Bell Personal Electronic Device Policy", or as many call it school cell phone ban, stating that they couldn't reach their children and did not have details as to what was happening.

Others responded by saying they were relieved the kids didn't have their phones, as the possibility of panic that would ensue from the misinformation disseminated by unverified or undearage sources was of real concern.

Mike Missbrenner, Principal of the William S. Cohen School, expressed his appreciation for the students and the staff for doing an exceptional job under intense circumstances Wednesday.

"We are incredibly proud of our students for the way they responded during a challenging situation. Their cooperation, patience, and resilience were
outstanding. I also want to thank our faculty and staff for their professionalism in following emergency procedures and supporting our students throughout the day."

Throughout the day, school officials updated parents via communication avenues like email, text and the Bangor app, when they had confirmed information to share, or instructions to give.