HERMANN – A reported bomb threat late Thursday morning that prompted a lockdown of all Gasconade County R-1 schools was quickly determined to be not credible, returning the campus to normal activities.

However, the notice of a receiving a threat did put parents on edge briefly and the resulting lockdown provided students who attend the pre-school afternoon classes a day off. At about the time those students would be arriving for their classes, school staff said it was unclear how long the lockdown would be in place so they advised parents to simply keep their pre-school students at home for the day.

Superintendent Geoff Neill issued an all-clear announced by way of the district’s automated system shortly after the lockdown was put in place. Based on information available at the time, it appears school officials acted after a note was found in a student bathroom referring to a bomb at the school.

The lockdown procedure — thanks in part to its short duration — appears to have worked as envisioned. Some students who were doing classwork at the time the lockdown decision was made said they weren’t aware anything was happening other than their classwork.

An automated telephone message from the superintendent was issued to parents at about 11 a.m. Neill said the district was working with the Hermann Police Department to determine if the threat was credible.

With the lockdown, there was no entry or exit allowed at Hermann High School, Hermann Middle School or Hermann Elementary School. In his message to parents, Neill said all students were accounted for and safe.