3:00 P.M. UPDATE: On March 17, 2022, at 9:38 am, the Alaska State Troopers were notified that a threatening phone call had been received by staff at Nikiski North Star Elementary School.
The Alaska State Trooper and Alaska Wildlife Troopers immediately responded to the school to establish and maintain security, and school officials placed the school in stay put status. The Alaska State Troopers immediately launched an investigation into the origin and nature of the phone call.
Based on a preliminary investigation, Troopers believe the phone call originated from outside of Alaska, and the threat made was false. There was no threat to any of the students or staff at Nikiski North Star Elementary School or any other Kenai Peninsula Schools. School officials lifted the stay put status around 12:30 pm today.
Troopers are continuing to investigate the origins of the phone call.
12:28 PM UPDATE: The “Stay Put” at Nikiski North Star Elementary is lifted at 12:30 p.m., and afternoon buses will run on a normal schedule.
ORIGINAL: Alaska State Troopers are investigating a suspicious phone call made to Nikiski North Star Elementary School.
According to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, there is no known immediate threat to any of the students or staff at Nikiski North Star Elementary School, or any other Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Schools at this time, according to Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD’s Director of Communications, Community, and Government Relations.
Nikiski North Star Elementary was placed in stay put status by school officials as a precautionary measure. It is anticipated to be lifted by the end of the school day.
Additionally, Nikiski Middle-High School was placed in a brief stay put status Thursday morning while the investigation began. Kenai area school administrators were initially notified as is standard protocol.
As a result of authorities investigating the suspicious phone call, there is a large Alaska State Trooper presence in the area.
The details of the suspicious phone call are not known at this time.
In a statement, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District states that the safety of staff and students is a top priority, and that they always will act from an abundance of precaution.
