Principal: ‘Harmful, ingestible substance’ may be circulating through Riverhead HS

The Riverhead High School principal warned parents Thursday night that a “potentially harmful, ingestible substance may be circulating through the school community and accessible to students,” according to an email obtained by the News-Review.

In the email, principal Sean O’Hara said the district is partnering with law enforcement to “further investigate the matter.” He asked parents to discuss the matter with their children.

Below is the complete email:

Dear Riverhead High School Families,

It has come to the district’s attention that a potentially harmful, ingestible substance may be circulating throughout our school community and accessible to students. As our district takes these matters very seriously, I am reaching out today to encourage our families to have conversations with their children about being aware of their surroundings and understanding the consequences of their actions.

While the information we have about this substance and how it is being accessed by individuals remains limited at this time, as partners in education, we felt it was important to bring this matter to your attention. We encourage our families to speak with their children about not accepting unknown items from other individuals and to always report any suspicious behaviors or items to a trusted adult immediately. 

As a district, we are taking proactive steps to mitigate this matter internally, including partnering with law enforcement to further investigate the matter and working collaboratively to develop a quick resolution to ensure our students’ continued health and safety. We recognize that some in our community will have questions regarding this, and possibly information that they would like to share.  You may contact me either by phone, email, or through our Share it app found on our district website.  

Respectfully,

Sean O’Hara

Principal