Woodside High lifts brief campus lockout, saying there’s no threat

Woodside High School was placed on a brief “secure campus protocol” between 9:50-10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, according to school officials. The lockout was issued after school leaders became aware of a threat made to the school through an anonymous report.

The school immediately contacted law enforcement and was directed to place the school in secure campus status, one step below “lockdown,” when instruction cannot continue.

“Law enforcement has determined that there is no threat and instruction continues as normal,” said Principal Karen van Putten in an email sent to parents shortly after the lockdown was lifted. 

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office will be present on campus throughout the remainder of the day to ensure the area is safe, the email said. 

During the lockout, all classroom doors were locked, students and staff remained indoors and campus operations continued. The secure campus protocol is issued as a precautionary measure when there is a threat of potential violence near the campus. 

This news organization has reached out to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office for more information and will update the story when it becomes available. 

Editor’s note: References to the secure campus protocol have been corrected to lockout.

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