Threat to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School

Dear School and Parish Family at Saints Peter and Paul,

As you may now know, a threat was made against our school this morning. An unidentified person called the parish and stated that a bomb was in the school, and then hung up.

Parish and school leadership immediately followed Diocese of Joliet protocols and contacted the Naperville Police Department and Superintendent of Schools Michael Boyle. Students were evacuated to Pfeiffer Hall on the campus of nearby North Central College, where they were given water and made comfortable. Parents were notified of the threat and assured of the safety of their children, and were given the opportunity to pick up their children from the evacuation site. The pick-up process was calm and orderly.

Law enforcement agencies involved in the effort, including the Naperville Police Department, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, used K-9 units to conduct a perimeter and room-by-room search of both school buildings and parish offices. No bomb or other threat was found. Students and staff returned to the buildings shortly after 12:30 p.m. Classes have resumed and regular busing and dismissal is planned. Scheduled events at both the parish and school for this afternoon and tonight will continue.

We are grateful to our school and parish employees for their quick and composed action to ensure the safety of our students and staff. We appreciate parents’ calm response to the threat. We also are very grateful for the emergency response from local and regional police departments, as well as to North Central College for safely hosting our students and staff. And we are immensely thankful that no bomb was discovered and that no one was hurt.

We have not shared specific details of the threat with students, and we cannot let this isolated incident disrupt our lives. We look to our Catholic faith for strength, remembering Jesus’ words of “I am with you always” from the Gospel of Matthew.

Please join me and Principal Weis in prayers for peace for our school and parish family. We remain grateful for your partnership.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Father Brad Baker
Pastor, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church

Mrs. Tricia Weis
Principal, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School