Parents question district communication after two guns found at Northgate; ask for stronger protocols

Four parents addressed the North Kansas City Schools Board of Education on Feb. 24 about a safety incident at Northgate Elementary that they said involved two firearms and ammunition.

Shannon Viejo, a mother of three district students, told the board that "the presence of 2 firearms and ammunition inside a school is in itself a threat to every student and staff member that was present that day" and criticized what she described as a five‑hour delay in notifying families. "Timely communication is not a courtesy, it's a responsibility," Viejo said.

Katie Rolfing, another Northgate parent and a survivor of gun violence, echoed concerns and questioned the district’s choice of a "lock and teach" response rather than a lockdown. "The presence of the gun was a threat whether the bullets were in it or the bullets were just in the bag," Rolfing said, asking the district to reconsider when staff use each type of emergency status and whether parents could be notified sooner.

Mikey Meisberger recounted mixed perceptions among students about how safe they felt and flagged apparent timeline differences between media reports and school communications, noting law enforcement presence earlier in the morning followed by later on‑campus action. "I don't understand why parents were not notified for almost 5 hours later," Meisberger said.

Nicole Alvarez Carraretti, who works in an emergency department and has four children in the district, said the initial text at 12:45 prompted alarm and that she had to wait for additional information. She praised staff for keeping students calm but said, "There has to be something better" for sending faster, clearer notifications to families.

All four speakers asked the board to improve communication protocols; Viejo also urged the district to "work closely with law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue maximum legal consequences" for owners of the firearms. Several parents asked that the board consider trauma‑informed options for students and staff triggered by an incident.

Board members did not respond during public comment but acknowledged they would follow up. The public‑comment period lasted the allotted time and the board proceeded with the rest of its agenda.

Next steps: Parents at the meeting asked the district to include faster parent notifications in its incident review and to clarify when "lock and teach" versus "lockdown" should be used. The board's posted materials and any follow‑up statements from district administration will provide the formal response and any procedure changes.