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Resident Santino Perrone questions RSU 23 response after neighboring Saco bus incident; superintendent says no lockdown was necessary
Summary
At the Feb. 15 RSU 23 school board meeting, resident Santino Perrone asked why Old Orchard Beach schools did not lock down after a bus incident in neighboring Saco; Superintendent John Suttie said law enforcement advised that the suspects did not pose a threat and that officials stayed in contact with parents.
A resident pressed RSU 23 officials on Feb. 15 about the district’s handling of a bus-related security incident in nearby Saco, asking why Old Orchard Beach did not implement a lockdown while Thornton and Biddeford schools did.
Resident Santino Perrone asked whether any safety measures were taken, why two school dances were allowed to proceed while suspects were reportedly at large next door, and why students learned about the situation on social media rather than directly from the district.
Superintendent John Suttie said he and Chief Chard were on the phone as soon as the incident occurred, that Old Orchard Beach sent officers to assist investigators, and that school leaders determined a lockdown was unnecessary because the suspects were not a threat. He said district leaders “stayed in contact with the parents of students who were on the bus” and that officials try to avoid unnecessarily disrupting the school day: “it is not always helpful to let students know, so as not to interfere with their school day.”
The exchange focused on communication choices as much as operational response. Perrone told board members he had been asked by multiple citizens why students had not been informed and that two eighth graders he spoke with said they had not heard anything from school staff. The board did not take formal action on the matter; the superintendent described coordination with local law enforcement as the guiding factor in deciding not to lock down.
The board did not announce additional districtwide notifications or policy changes at the meeting; officials said they would continue to work with law enforcement and with families directly when students are involved.
