West Babylon Superintendent of Schools Anthony Cacciola addresses parents at the public forum on Saturday. The meeting helped allay some fears and bring the community together to work to solve the crime. Well before 10 a.m., when the community meeting was to start, the parking lot of the West Babylon Senior High School was filled. Several hundred parents, with the look of concern, frustration and in some cases anger on their faces, were at the school to listen to and question school officials about five incidents the week before in which threats forced the school into lockdown or evacuation. Superintendent of Schools Anthony Cacciola called the meeting, he said, to arm parents with the correct information, and to work together with the community to resolve the problem.

"We want to hear what you have to say and listen to your suggestions," he told the group of approximately 300 who attended the meeting Saturday, Nov. 22 in the Performing Arts Center of the high school. "And we want to provide you with as much information as we can without compromising the police investigation.

Cacciola outlined five incidents that have taken place beginning Nov. 12 when a message was found on a bathroom wall of the Junior High School saying there was a bomb in the building. The district evacuated the building, called the police and the building was searched. When nothing was found, students returned to the school.

Two days later, on Nov. 14, a message was discovered on the bathroom wall of the high school. The high school was evacuated and the building searched before students were allowed back into school.

On Nov. 19, a message written on paper was found in a high school bathroom and a lockdown drill was initiated, getting all students out of the hallways and into classrooms. Police were called and the building was again searched.

On Nov. 20, a threatening message about a bomb was found written on a wall in a stairwell of the high school. Police were called again and students were loaded on to school buses and brought to the school bus garage where teachers and school officials monitored and reassured the students. Within an hour and a half, after the building was searched, the students were allowed to return to school.

Finally, on Friday, a fifth threat was found and students were evacuated to the high school field. Another search was conducted and students returned to school.

"What if it is real? That is what we have to ask ourselves every time," said Cacciola. "We have been working nonstop to ensure the safety of students and, we are here to answer your questions and to tell you how you can help us."

Most parents sat quietly, listened, and questioned district officials about why they did what they did, offering suggestions and making comments on what they had heard from their children.

"The students were allowed to take their book bags on the bus with them and quite frankly, I don't think that was right," said one parent. "No one knew what was in those book bags."

"You're right," said Cacciola. "We will look into that and we would ask that you let your students know that they will not be allowed to take their belongings with them if there is another incident. Sometimes they will tell us they have their phone or their IPods in them and don't want to leave them behind."

Other parents said they were upset because in one incident some confusion surfaced and 21 students were left in the school when it was evacuated because the teacher thought they were in lockdown. "How did this happen?" asked Beth Conner, the parent of one of the students in that class. "And why didn't anyone call me to explain this?"

Dr. Dominick Palma, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Student Services, said there is no doubt that there has been some confusion in the district's responses to the incidents, and that officials will be looking into that. As to why the parents of those 21 students were not called, he said he can offer only an explanation. "We did not know about the incident until later in the day, but you are absolutely correct—you should have been called—no excuses."

Another parent suggested that the district look into installing cameras in the schools and even consider metal detectors, while the district added that it was also looking into companies that provide search dogs. Cacciola cautioned, however, that these things take time and cost money and that he would be working with the community to come up with a reasonable approach.

Don Krugman, whose child attends the high school, raised a concern about the emotional toll the incidents were taking on the students. "What are the ramifications of all of this?" he asked the officials. Another parent said he wanted some assurances that the students were being provided with the opportunity to talk about the incident.

Dr. Ellice Vassallo, high school principal, said that the students have had opportunities to discuss the problem and their concerns but that she would also provide additional resources throughout the day, beginning this week.

Dr. Dominick Palma told parents that some students will look at the incident as a waste of time, while others will be concerned about their safety. "You are going to have to look at your individual child and start a dialogue about the realities of the world we live in and remind them that they always have to be cautious," he said.

School Board members also attended the meeting. "We are concerned and appreciate the way the administration is handling this," said School Board President Ray Cody. "It's not an easy thing to deal with."

"I'm worried, and my daughter is worried," said one mother who identified herself only as Barbara. "I don't want to send her to school."

"And I want her to go because I don't want her to give in and become a victim of this kind of thing," said the woman's husband.

"It is unsettling," said another mother who also asked for anonymity. "She (her daughter) used to text me every day, but she doesn't do that now because she said she doesn't want me worrying while I am at work. I just hope this gets resolved soon."

While police have declined to discuss the case, saying it is under investigation and being pursued thoroughly, Vassallo provided some details from the school's perspective. "Yes," she said in response to a question posed to the police at the meeting abut whether there were any suspects, "we are looking into persons of interest."