READFIELD, Maine — A report of a student with a weapon at Kents Hill School prompted three other area schools in Readfield to go into lockdown mode Tuesday.
In a letter to the school community, Kents Hill School stated administrators received a report that an unknown student claimed to have a weapon on the school's campus.
"We immediately consulted with law enforcement and directed students to leave all belongings in their respective classrooms and report to the Bodman Performing Arts Center (day students) and individual dorm rooms (boarding students) for attendance," the letter stated.
Law enforcement and school staff thoroughly searched the campus, including shared spaces and student belongings, but no weapon was found, the school said in the letter.
Classes and school obligations were suspended until 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, and have since returned to normal operations.
"We recognize that members of our community will respond to this situation in a number of different ways, all of which are normal," Kents Hill School said in the letter. "The Health Center is available to provide any additional support and a number of safe spaces across campus."
Due to the potential weapon on the Kents Hill School campus, nearby RSU 38 schools, including Maranacook middle and high schools and Readfield Elementary School, were placed into a lockdown "out of abundance of caution," Superintendent Jay Charette said in a letter to the RSU 38 community.
All four lockdowns on Tuesday have since been lifted.
According to its website, Kents Hill School is "an independent, coeducational boarding and day school" serving grades nine through postgraduate.