STANDISH — Classes at Bonny Eagle High School have been canceled for today while police investigate a bomb threat.

The decision to close the school means there will be no classes or extracurricular activities for the more than 1,200 students who attend the school.

Bonny Eagle serves the towns of Standish, Hollis, Buxton, Limington and Frye Island.

“We want to make sure the building is safe before students return,” said Principal Beth Schultz.

Parents of students at the school received an automated phone message Monday afternoon informing them of the situation. An alert also was posted on the School Administrative District 6 website, advising the community to check periodically for new information.”

Naldo Gagnon, chief deputy for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, said an “anonymous note” was received after classes ended Monday afternoon warning that a bomb would detonate today.

Gagnon would not be more specific about the timing of the threat or what the note said, but added, “Hopefully, it’s all for naught, but you have to treat threats like this with the utmost respect.”

School officials said the high school had to be evacuated Monday afternoon, though there were not that many students or staff in the building. Sheriff’s deputies searched some of the school’s common areas but decided to return today to conduct a more thorough search.

Gagnon said bomb-sniffing dogs will be brought in to search the building, with the expectation being that classes will resume Wednesday.

Schultz said the shutdown will affect not only students and staff who are nearing the end of the school year, but some planned activities as well.

She said the high school’s spring concert, which was scheduled for tonight, will have to be rescheduled, along with several field trips.

“We intend to do everything we can to determine who is responsible,” Schultz said.

 

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at: dhoey@pressherald.com