Police at magnet high after threat

Extra security officers patrolled Academic Magnet High School over the weekend and Monday after a bomb threat was discovered.

School officials found a note on Friday that warned about a potential incident at the North Charleston school on Monday, said Elliot Smalley, the school district's executive director of planning, marketing and communications. District security staff and North Charleston Police Department officers checked the school twice during the weekend, and police monitored it overnight Sunday, he said.

Although the searches turned up nothing suspicious, the district increased security Monday, Smalley said.

Four North Charleston police officers, two district security supervisors and a school resource office were at the school to monitor students as they arrived and watch for any potential problems, he said.

School Principal Carol Tempel sent a message to parents Monday morning through ParentLink, an automated message service, to let them know what was happening.

Parent Bill Swan said he got the school's call and was glad to be kept in the loop. The school handled the incident in a professional manner, and he said he thought his son was safe. His sophomore son, William, said officials made an announcement about the threat and assured students they were OK. If officials thought it safe enough for him to be in school, he said, he felt safe being there.

Juniors had a deadline for their senior thesis on Monday, and he said some students speculated that was why the day was targeted.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@post andcourier.com.