I'm not at work today

[LostArt]

Breaking News From the Boonies

At 5am this morning we received a call. The Boss answered it and then when he hung up I asked, "You have to go into work?" (figured someone hit a power pole) He said, "No. You don't go into work." I laughed and said, "Right." He said, "That was your boss dear. There was an incident that wasn't resolved this morning at 2am and there will be no school today." I said, "What?! That's all he said????"

I made a few calls, but it's all rumored, or not exactly confirmed, but we might of received a Bomb Threat. Hadn't had these in years. But, we were in the news earlier in the week for a break out of MRSA. Which is a form of staph or an overuse of antibiotics, which has created a resistance to the drugs in certain strains of staph. Nation wide news, I'm sure you have heard of it. We only had 2 at our school. One of them is resolved.

Anyway, I still don't know anything. Whatever, it must be pretty serious, we don't just call off school. Weather is fine down this way, so that leaves it up to maybe a malicious act to me. http://www.avowners.com/forum/smileys/doh001.gif

I still think of the Boss answering that phone call, and I'm still grinning. How often does THAT happen??!! :D

[thrasher]

Not locally but in the state we had several cases off MRSA that spread to four guys on a school's football team. One died and the other three spent several days in the hospital. The school closed for two days while they disinfected (bleached) everything that any student had access to from lockers to cafeteria to hallways and classrooms. The governor signed an executive order that all health professionals now have to report outbreaks of MRSA to the state health department (just like TB or rabies). Heard on the news there are more people dying from MRSA in the USA then from AIDS, of course I always take statistics from reporters with more than a little doubt.
LostArt: enjoy the day off!

[LostArt]

Thank you for responding Thrasher. :) Yeah, it's been a stressful week, but everyday is getting that way anymore. Sometimes, it's just overwhelming. It comes from all directions. Two years ago, it was teenage suicides, last week it was technical problems, two days ago it was TV20 news in our faces about MRSA/staph, and today (or last night) it was a bomb threat. And get this, we are a SMALL school in a very small area. It's unreal.

Here is the link to our local paper:

http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/local/local_story_313162911.html


NO BOMB FOUND AT BRANFORD HIGH

Despite a 911 call warning of an explosive device at Branford High School Thursday, a search of the school turned up no evidence of a bomb. The school was cleared at about 3 p.m. Friday after a bomb-sniffing dog failed to detect explosives on the premises, say authorities.

An unidentified caller to 911 claimed to have overheard a plot to plant an explosive device at the school, Principal Ted Roush said.

Roush said the call was placed at 7:20 p.m. Thursday by someone claiming to have overheard a plot to detonate an explosive device at the school on Friday. The voice on the phone was that of a male, officials said.

A bomb-sniffing dog was brought in from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Friday morning to continue the search.

Branford High and Branford Elementary were closed Friday as a precaution.

Parents were informed of the cancellation beginning at 5:30 a.m. by means of an automatic phone notification system.

[LostArt]

Just to give most of you a picture of the actual area, here is stats:

The population of Branford is approximately 695 (2000).

The approximate number of families is 340 (1990).


The amount of land area in Branford is 2.149 sq. kilometers.

The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.

The distance from Branford to Washington DC is 710 miles.

The distance to the Florida state capital is 89 miles. (as the crow flies)

Branford is positioned 29.96 degrees north of the equator and 82.92 degrees west of the prime meridian.

Oh, and the current school enrollment at the school (6th-12th grades) is around 670.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Oh, and the current school enrollment at the school (6th-12th grades) is around 670.


My graduating class in high school was over 800.....well over 1500 per class at the school now. Must be nice to live in a small town.

[LostArt]

My graduating class in high school was over 800.....well over 1500 per class at the school now. Must be nice to live in a small town.

Yeah, I'd hate working in a large school with more problems than we have.

BTW, I don't live there. I live 30 minutes away. The Boss is going with traffic and I am meeting traffic. THAT is nice. :D

[Hemingray Insulators]

my class is 350 some. not sure the exact number. we have 1426 students at my school

[JD426H]

Let's see.....the population is 695, and the school enrollment is 670 ? Must be a Catholic town or there ain't no TV ! Them 25 parents have been busy!

http://www.avowners.com/forum/smileys/love2.gif

[Alan Mac]

I thought the same JD, then I got it figured out. The other 25 are teachers:D

Mac

[LostArt]

LMAO! Well this is 2007, so 7 yrs ago that was the census. I'm sure it's not changed drastically though. We have some teachers that work out of county and some students that come from out of county. Heck, I'm an out-of-county worker. :D

But, just the "town" of Branford is small. The rural areas branch out a good bit. It's a beautiful quiant place. Sits right on the Suwannee River. Sometimes I take my tuna sandwich at lunch and sit at the ramp on the picnic benches and enjoy the scenery. Many folks do that. I've even run into some local powerlinemen there. 'Course I know'em. :D

[Squizzy]

I found that bomb threats at schools often coincide with exams but in this age it all must taken seriously...