On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Cherry Hill High School East students were evacuated from their D block classrooms and subsequently transported to Cherry Hill High School West following a threat. At 9 a.m., a shelter-in-place was put into effect, which remained for an hour.

At approximately 10 a.m., an announcement over the loudspeaker was made, ordering all students to evacuate the building. The entire student body was divided by grade and sent to different areas of the Cougar stadium. Students were urged by administration to stay put and refrain from leaving school grounds on their own. 

Dozens of buses transported students to West, which was also initially placed under a shelter-in-place to accommodate the new East students coming in. 

Students were sent to the two auditoriums and the Jones Gym. Beginning at around 11 a.m., East students were told to either await parent pickup or stay until dismissal at 1:30 p.m. 

Students who wish to be picked up are required to be signed out of Genesis by their primary guardian and retrieved where they are being held. Otherwise, students must wait for bus pickup at 1:30 p.m. at West to return home. For those who drove to East, busing will be provided as well.

Although the threat was deemed “non-credible” by Superintendent Dr. Kwame Morton, according to an email sent to all parents, the police are currently at East, conducting an investigation with a K-9 Unit.

“We don’t believe [the threat], but we would rather err on the side of your safety and our safety rather than put anyone in any type of danger,” Principal Mr. Finkle said. 

Finkle assures students that school will proceed as scheduled on Wednesday. 

Eastside will continue to monitor the situation and update as needed.