The Snoqualmie Valley School District put this out on their website this morning. Snoqualmie Middle School, Snoqualmie Elementary School and Mount Si High School, which are geographically close, are all taking precautions.
“This morning, March 1st, a Snoqualmie Middle School staff member reported seeing a cougar in one of the school’s fields on the back side of the building. The cat was seen near their baseball backstop then walked into the forested wetlands area that borders the school’s fields.
The school notified police, its staff, and two other schools in the area, to ensure student safety.
Police investigated this morning but found no cougar. The officer explained that because this is elk calving season, it’s not uncommon for cougar to be sniffing around, given the significant herd of elk that lives in nearby fields.
As a precaution, our schools are taking the following steps today:
- Snoqualmie Middle School staff will be supervising students during passing times outside and PE classes will be held indoors.
- Snoqualmie Elementary School staff will also be on the look-out today when they escort students who transition between buildings. They are also having recess indoors today, as a precaution. Also, SES is notifying parents of the few students who walk or bike home, in case parents want to escort their kids home this afternoon. Otherwise, those students will be instructed to travel in groups on sidewalks (no shortcuts through fields) and to be aware of their surroundings.
- Mount Si High School also notified its PE teachers this morning to use discretion.”
