Dover Police investigating incident at William Henry Middle School
By This story has been updated
DOVER - The Capital School District has confirmed it “turned the matter over to police” following an incident at William Henry Middle School on Jan. 26.
In an email Friday, district spokeswoman Monica Shockley-Porter no further comment on the incident could be provided.
On Friday, Dover Police spokesman Master Cpl. Ryan Schmid released a statement that read:
“The Dover Police Department is investigating an incident that occurred at William Henry Middle School on January 26, 2023, where a parent and her daughter gained entry into the school without authorization.
“As far as the details of the incident are concerned, I would defer to the statement released by Capital School District on or about the 26th of January. The Dover Police Department is actively investigating the incident and as of today, no one has been charged.”
In a letter to school families on Jan. 26, principal Charles Sheppard provided details on an incident he said began at approximately 1:30 p.m. today when “an upset parent and her daughter became impatient waiting for their son to be called to the office.”
According to Principal Sheppard, “The parent and her daughter then entered the building without permission to get her son.”
At that point, Mr. Sheppard said, “Our School Resource Officer and Constables were immediately called and responded to the situation.
“When confronted about their entry without permission, the pair became disorderly (yelling and cursing) and had to be escorted out of the building.
Mr. Sheppard continued, saying that “While students weren’t in direct contact, many witnessed the behavior.”
In the letter, Mr. Sheppard said that “I’m sure some of our students were concerned about the incident so I wanted to let families know what had happened.”
Additionally, according to Mr. Sheppard, “I’d also like to address the most pressing question, how did they gain access? As you may be aware, our main office door to access the hallway is locked during the day.
“However, students and staff can enter the office from the hallway area via an access button on the inside. The parent took advantage of a door being opened from the hallway side.
“Fortunately, our office staff reported immediately and the situation was addressed promptly.”
Mr. Sheppard concluded by saying “If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”
Ms. Shockley-Porter added that “The Capital School District values our parents and is committed to providing more opportunities for training and supports for parents. We are proud of the positive partnerships we have with our parents and community.”
