Superintendent Smith told the Jan. 6 school committee meeting that district and local law‑enforcement partners managed a threat reported over the winter break and that the timing — while schools were not in session — meant no on‑site response was required. Smith said strong communication channels built over the last year allowed the district and police to coordinate efficiently and to prepare safety procedures when students returned.

"The relationships that we've established ... allowed us to easily work together on a complex problem," Smith said, praising the work of school resource officers and local law enforcement who remained in contact during the break. Smith said the student involved in the threat is currently not available to the district, and that plans are in place to support the student and to keep schools safe when the student becomes available.

The superintendent also recognized community donations made over the holiday season — including gift cards, meals and clothing provided to families at Emory H. (Emmy) Small and other schools — and thanked civic groups such as the Yarmouth Rotary and the First Congregational Church of Yarmouth for support. Smith described a local police officer’s adopt‑a‑school initiative: Officer Jefferson Willis of the Yarmouth Police Department purchased and wrapped a gift for every student at Station Avenue Elementary, the superintendent said, and the principal called the effort extraordinary.

Public commenter Wayne Berger, who identified himself as a member of the Cape Cod Coalition for Safe Communities, urged the district to consider a formal policy describing how schools will respond if federal immigration‑enforcement agents seek student or family information. Berger said immigrant families he has spoken with expressed palpable anxiety about potential federal immigration actions and asked the district to ensure families know how to get counseling and support in schools.

Superintendent Smith said the district continues to work with law enforcement and would take steps to communicate available supports to families; he noted that some investigative details cannot be publicly shared but that coordinated plans exist to maintain safety and to support affected students.

No changes to school safety policy were proposed at the Jan. 6 meeting; the superintendent said the district’s ongoing communication with law enforcement and internal teams remains the primary operational response while officials complete any necessary follow‑up work.