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Parents press Preston BOE for clearer notification after PVMS knife report; principal says it was a toy
Summary
Parents called for better communication after students reported a child brought a knife to PVMS; Principal Ray Bernier told the Board the item was a toy and "a threat was never made," and the superintendent said he will review notification protocol with administrators.
Parents at the Oct. 20 meeting pressed the Preston Board of Education for clearer notification procedures after students reported that a child brought a knife to Preston Veterans Middle School.
Parent Kayla Thompson told the Board she believed the district had a zero‑tolerance policy but learned about the incident from children, not the school. "Kids deserve safety and parents deserve honesty," Thompson said in public comment.
PVMS Principal Ray Bernier told the Board that no threat was made and that the item was a toy. "A threat was never made. The weapon was a toy knife, not a real knife," he said, and added that he disciplined the student. Superintendent Dr. Roy Seitsinger said he will review protocol and procedure with Bernier and Chris Pickett so that everyone is on the same page.
Board members voiced competing priorities: Nicole Serra pushed for parents to receive details of such incidents to ensure safety, while Dan Harris and Michael Hinton emphasized confidentiality and student‑privacy considerations.
The Board unanimously added the parents' concerns to the agenda for discussion and directed administration to review notification procedures and report back at the November meeting.
What happens next: administration will review and return with recommended changes to notification procedures and any clarifications about when parents are informed of disciplinary or safety incidents.
