This past Wednesday, on September 23rd, Edina’s South View Middle School received an unexpected intruder on their grounds. Around mid-morning, an adult male entered the building and spoke to one of the school’s security guards asking for a former staff member. Although he left shortly after being told the staff no longer worked there, he was spotted again talking with students and teachers outside and attempting to reenter the building. He was escorted to the office, and the police were called.

“The police detained the individual and cited him for trespassing on school grounds, while school continued as scheduled,” stated the notice that was emailed to parents and students later that afternoon. As of present, the exact motives of the individual’s visit are unknown, making it difficult to say whether or not he posed a specific threat to students and staff.

During and after the incident, South View closely followed security protocols for visitors in school, ensuring the safety of all members and preventing any harm that could have occurred. As outlined by the “District Policy on Visitors to School,” such protocols include having all visitors register during the school day at a reporting station within the school building. South View was also guided by an emergency response plan, in which event-management, staff- communication, and post-event debriefing took place. After Wednesday’s incident, staff will be reviewing the day’s events and practices for any improvements. Specifically, administrative members want to “ensure that students, as well as staff, understand the responsibility of keeping our schools safe,” said Ms. Susan Brott, Director of Communications & Community Engagement for Edina public Schools.