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Parents press Webster Area board over delayed notification after student brought unloaded firearm; nurse resigns
Summary
Parents urged the Webster Area School Board for clearer, faster communication after a student brought an unloaded firearm to school and the district announced the school nurse had resigned; the board said it followed law-enforcement and legal guidance and that nursing coverage was in place while a new hire is finalized.
Parents at Thursday’s Webster Area School Board meeting pressed administrators and trustees for clearer communication after the district publicly announced an incident in which a student brought a firearm to school and the resignation of the school nurse.
“Kids cannot…they cannot learn if they’re not healthy, if they’re not safe,” said Stephanie (public commenter), who identified herself as the parent of a child with Type 1 diabetes and said she and other parents who depend on school nursing services were not told promptly about staffing changes or the incident.
Board members and administrators responded that the district worked with law enforcement and with the district’s attorney before sending any public notice. The board said the incident involved an unloaded firearm that “never left the backpack” and did not present an imminent threat, and that investigators’ timing and privacy considerations shaped when the district could release information.
The parent delegation said the district’s message, sent days after the incident, produced anxiety and confusion among families; they asked for clearer, earlier notifications when students’ safety or daily medical supports could be affected. The board said it had followed legal and law-enforcement guidance and that officials had weighed community impacts before issuing a public statement.
The meeting also covered nursing services: the board accepted the resignation of the district’s school nurse, Heather Gajkowski, effective Nov. 4, 2025, and said a substitute nurse covered the school on Nov. 5 from roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The board later approved a contract for a replacement, Kelsey Letcher, with an estimated start date the district described as approximately Nov. 24, 2025; the district said it expects to restore full-time nursing hours (about 7.5 hours per day once schedules finalize).
Administrators and trustees encouraged parents to review district procedures and offered to meet with concerned parents about how notification decisions are made. Several board members said they appreciated parents raising concerns and pledged to keep working on communication protocols and safety planning.
The board moved into executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters during the discussion; the public portion of the meeting resumed after the session.
What happens next: the board said it will continue to coordinate with law enforcement on any follow-up and to refine how and when parents are alerted of incidents affecting student safety or essential medical coverage.
