A student at Penn Manor High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was found in possession of a weapon on school property Monday (March 16), the district confirmed.
The Penn Manor School District notified parents of the incident, stating that a student had been found with a weapon on campus. Superintendent Dr. Philip Gale was quick to reassure the community that no one was in danger.
"The safety of our students and staff is, and always will be, our highest priority," Gale said. "Please be assured there was no active threat to students or staff as the weapon was inadvertently brought to school with no intent to cause harm."
According to local reports, school administrators learned about the weapon through the Safe2Say app, a tip-reporting tool used by Pennsylvania schools. No description of the weapon was released.
The district declined to share further details about the student or the specific weapon involved, citing state and federal confidentiality laws.
The parent notification was required under a Pennsylvania law that mandates schools alert parents within 24 hours when a weapon is found on campus. Notably, the law does not give schools flexibility in defining what counts as a "weapon." In at least one prior case, a notification was triggered after a student was found with a box cutter from a part-time job.
No charges or disciplinary actions have been publicly announced. The district has not indicated whether any further steps will be taken.