In response to a campus lockdown at Agoura High School, Oak Park High School and other neighboring schools are on alert. No direct threat was made against OPHS, but steps will be taken to ensure campus security out of an “abundance of caution.”
Just past 11 a.m. on Nov. 14, a threatening phone call was made to AHS, prompting the immediate notification of law enforcement. Deputies then searched the campus to determine the threat’s credibility and determined there was no present danger.
“I know that these events can be very unsettling for our community,” Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Stepenosky said in an email sent to families. “Please know that all systems were effective this morning in providing immediate response, alert, triage and communication.”
The lockdown was assessed, lifted and classes resumed. Still, an investigation by Lost Hills Sheriffs revealed that similar phone calls were made to Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks and Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills. The call to Notre Dame High School explicitly threatened a school shooting, while the threat made to Bishop Alemany claimed that a male suspect was in possession of a loaded shotgun on campus.
The police assured the security of each campus and those in proximity, and all schools resumed normal operations. Across the district, OPUSD is addressing the situation by communicating all known information with families. The district has “requested an increased patrol” at OPHS for the next few days.
“The safety and security of our students and staff remain our highest priority,” Davis said. “… Our safest tool in events such as these is communication, and we want to ensure that you have the information being shared by the district.”
Stepenosky also addressed an effective way to ensure school safety, urging parents and students to be on the lookout. This awareness extends to social media and online interactions.
“Please encourage your children to remain vigilant in saying something if they see something,” Stepenosky said.
