Pendleton School Evacuated As a Precaution

A Pendleton elementary school was evacuated today after a powdery substance was found inside a military-style bag.

McKay Creek Elementary School evacuated students and staff as a precautionary measure at approximately 1:05 p.m. today after a student reported the bag and substance inside of it to a teacher. Students and staff followed proper evacuation procedures and loaded onto buses, but were not transported. Emergency personnel confirmed the substance was actually weightlifting powder, and the evacuation was lifted at approximately 1:50 p.m. All students and staff remained safe during the incident.

“Safety comes first in our district, so we evacuated as a precaution since we were unsure as to what the substance was at first,” said Assistant Superintendent Tricia Mooney. “I’d like to commend our students and staff for how well they followed our emergency procedures this afternoon. These types of incidents can be scary, especially for younger students, so their ability to remain calm and follow directions this afternoon is outstanding.”

Students and staff returned to the building to finish out the remainder of the school day. Afternoon buses will remain on their normal schedules.