HUGHESVILLE – On Thursday, May 3 Hughesville schools closed due to a bomb threat received by an e-mail sent to the school principal and other school administrators around 7:45 that morning.

Local police departments were on the scene and escorted students through an early dismissal at 10:30 a.m. Officer Rod Smith from Hughesville Police Department said, “Basically what happened is that someone e-mailed a threat to the school principal and various school officials that said there were bombs planted in the school.”

However during the course of the morning’s investigation at the school no device was found.

Superintendent Michael D. Pawlik said shortly before the dismissal, “We’re putting safety absolutely first.”

The state police bomb squad and their dogs, the Union County K-9 units, the Lycoming County Sheriff and various officers from Muncy and Hughesville Police departments searched the building to make sure everything was secure. Police were seen donning bullet proof vests before entering the building according to a neighbor’s report.

Details are scarce as the investigation continues. Officers hope to find the person responsible for making the threat.

“We’re keeping the details contained so it doesn’t impede our investigation,” Pawlik said. “The investigation is ongoing.School will be back in session tomorrow as normal.”

Police declined to answer whether the threat was for a specific school or the entire district.

After the threat was received, parents were notified by the district’s OneCall System, which calls the phone parents list as the emergency number. All announcements, such as early dismissals and delayed beginnings, are done in the same manner.

No child was left behind following the dismissal, Pawlik said.

Students were given information based on their school level. It was handled by the principal.

“We take (the threat) very seriously,” he said. “We proceed with actions (that) are most appropriate to assure the safety of our students. We certainly look at all the information that’s provided.”