Notice to Brookfield Families, Faculty and Residents - RE: March 8th Bomb Threat

Dear Families, Faculty and Residents,

We write with an update regarding today’s bomb threat and the plan for return to school on Monday, March 11th.

The Brookfield Police Department has conducted a thorough sweep of all three schools and town hall. The sweep included a physical walk through of each facility, a review of surveillance video, and a bomb sniffing dog.  

The police have reported that there is no bomb in any of the locations and investigators have determined that we can open town hall now and the schools for a regular schedule on Monday. In addition, activities remain on schedule at our schools for this weekend. There will be increased police presence at all schools.

Upon initial receipt of the threatening email early this morning, local news stations alerted Brookfield Police Department and forwarded the email they received.

The email specifically indicated bomb threats to all 3 school campuses as well as the Board of Education offices (i.e. Town Hall) as well as individual threats to 2 staff members’ private residences, including Dr. Barile’s residence. In addition, the email included a narrative with depraved and insulting expletives, and specific threats of personal physical violence to the staff members.

As soon as information regarding this message was received by school leadership and Brookfield PD, the school day was delayed and eventually halted in order for law enforcement to conduct a thorough search of all campuses. Brookfield Police are investigating the genesis of the email in order to bring the perpetrator(s) to justice. We condemn these acts; there is no place for this behavior, regardless of difference of opinions, in our community.

District and building administration has worked throughout the day Friday with Brookfield Police and town authorities to restore safety and security for our schools to open as soon as possible.

Returning to School on Monday March 11th

We know that returning to school after such a threat can be anxiety producing and even scary for some students and staff.

We have prepared our mental health teams at each school to have counseling available first thing in the morning and throughout the week. Should anyone need to avail themselves of such services please contact your child’s counselor in advance. If unsure of whom to connect with, the school office will welcome your call or email and direct you or your child to the appropriate staff member.

Below, we have included links to several resources for parents and educators:
How to Talk to Your Children Following a School Threat | University of Utah Health
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families and Educators (nasponline.org)
Talking To Kids About School Safety | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

In closing, we are frustrated and disgusted with the actions of the individual(s) who threatened our staff, our schools, and our community. While the police have determined that there is no current threat to the physical safety of our school community, our sense of security–both physically and emotionally–has certainly been damaged.

Given the current rhetoric that has circulated both locally and nationally in recent weeks, it appears the incident today is a result. It is time for us to come together as a community. While we may have disagreements and differences of opinion, there is no place for threats of violence or personal harm. No one deserves such treatment. We stand by the tenets of our Brookfield Cs and the motto of "create your tomorrow." Our tomorrow has the potential to be bright and full of hope, provided we make the conscious choice to work collaboratively to resolve our concerns in a civilized manner.

Thank you for your support throughout the day; the many well wishes and notes of support from our educators, parents, elected officials, first responders, and colleagues across the state have helped to restore a sense of solidarity.

With sincerest wishes for a calm, safe and pleasant weekend,

Dr. John W, Barile, Brookfield School Superintendent
Dr. Wendy Youngblood, Brookfield Board of Education Chair
Mr. Steve Dunn, Brookfield First Selectman
Mr. John Puglisi, Brookfield Chief of Police