Sage Valley Middle School in Nampa is asking for additional police presence on campus after reports of a weapon and a separate school shooting threat prompted parents to raise alarms about student safety.
Families took their concerns to the Vallivue School Board on Tuesday night, and some said they have kept their children home because they are not comfortable sending them back. Parent Kayla McGer said more threats were made Monday and Monday night, adding of her daughter: 'She just broke down. Like, she doesn't want to go back.'
Parents told Idaho News 6 they had also heard reports involving a knife, further threats and a possible list of students who were targeted. Families said they still want answers about what happened, how the incidents were investigated and when parents were notified.
The district's changing account has fueled some of the frustration. Emails obtained by Idaho News 6 show the district sent families multiple updates. In a Nov. 6 email, officials said initial findings did not confirm a weapon had been on campus, but the following morning the district said key witnesses confirmed a weapon had been present on Nov. 4. The district said it followed its protocols and involved law enforcement.
A second email sent Nov. 9 addressed a separate reported school shooting threat, which the district said was investigated and found to be unsubstantiated. Parent Erin Willes pushed back on the district's reassurance, saying: 'Now that they're saying, Oh sorry, it was two days later, but it's safe, you can send your kids to school, I do not feel safe.'
At Tuesday's board meeting, parents asked the district to weigh added security measures, including metal detectors or handheld screening wands, and called for more transparency about how threats are investigated and how quickly families are told. 'That's my firstborn daughter. That's my baby,' parent Danny Houston said. 'So if you guys could address these issues and kind of help us better understand your process.'
Later Tuesday night, Sage Valley administrators sent another update saying the school believes students are safe but has requested additional police presence beginning Wednesday. Caldwell Police said Wednesday that both incidents were investigated and neither the reported weapon nor the separate alleged threat was substantiated, adding that no credible threat to students or staff has been identified. Officers will still maintain an increased presence around the school as a precaution.
The district told Idaho News 6 it takes every report seriously, while cautioning that sharing unverified information can create unnecessary fear or interfere with investigations. Vallivue School District did not provide additional comment Tuesday night.
For some families, the concern has grown into a broader loss of confidence. 'I'm already having to contemplate stopping working again and homeschooling because I can't trust the district,' McGer said.
