MDI High School Tightens Security As Inmate Is Released From Prison

The release of a prison inmate today has caused a tightening of security at Mount Desert Island Regional High School.

According to the Mount Desert Islander, all students will be kept inside the school today and any student drop-offs will be supervised by police. Classes that are normally held outside the main building will be moved to internal classrooms for today.

Superintendent Mark Gousse told the paper that there's 'no specific or credible threat to the high school or any other school that we are aware of.' However, police notified the school that a person who has connections to the area and the students is due to be released from prison today. Although part of the individual's conditions of release states that they are not to have contact with any students and he's restricted from the premises, school administrators and local law enforcement felt the prisoner's release warranted some tightened security at the school. Those measures include locking all exterior doors at 8:30 a.m. and keeping the students inside the main building throughout the school day.

There will be administrators and law enforcement personnel in the lobby to admit any appropriate parents or visitors to the school throughout the day. The measures are only in place for today, since there's no school next week.

Tonight's performance of 'Tarzan the Musical' will take place, as scheduled, in the theater.