Creston speech team at threatened school

Creston High School speech team members were at Ankeny Centennial High School Saturday when the Ankeny school received a non-credible threat.

“Their administrators were made aware of a bomb threat during the Iowa High School Speech Association State Large Group competition,” according to a statement later Saturday from Creston Community Schools Superintendent Deron Stender.

“Administrators acted immediately, notifying the Ankeny Police Department, who decided to evacuate the building and postpone the event. All attendees were immediately evacuated from the building and sent home,” Stender wrote. “Our children are safe and on the way home.”

At least two different non-credible threats were received by central Iowa schools over the weekend, with one interrupting a school event.

Creston speech coach Laura Granger said Saturday the remaining events will be held when a date has been scheduled.

According to WHO Radio, 2,000 people were evacuated from Ankeny Centennial High School. The State Speech Tournament was underway when police and the state Fire Marshall cleared the building and after investigating determined it was not a credible threat.

Perry High School also had reports of threats that police investigated and say are not credible. The district states on its Facebook page that police officers will continue to be posted in all Perry schools.