January 5, 2026

Dear Shamokin Area School District Families,

Governor Shapiro recently signed into law Act 44 of 2025, which creates a new section of the School Code titled "Parental and Employee Notification of Weapon Incidents." This new law takes effect on January 6, 2026. The law requires all school districts to notify parents, guardians, and school employees of an incident involving the possession of a weapon on any school property, school transportation, or at school-sponsored activities. Under the new law, unless the circumstances of the incident necessitate otherwise, notification to parents, guardians, and employees must be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.

If the incident occurs at a school building, the District will notify the parents or guardians of students enrolled in that building. If the incident occurs at a school building which shares a campus with other school buildings, the law requires the District to notify parents and guardians of students enrolled in or attending all buildings located on the shared campus. If the incident occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on school transportation, the District will notify the appropriate population of parents, guardians, and school employees.

The District will use Parent Square to provide the required notices. Due to state and federal confidentiality laws, these notifications will not disclose personally identifiable student information. Instead, they will provide very basic information regarding the date and location of a reported weapon incident.

The new law may result in more frequent notifications, even in cases that do not pose an active safety threat. This does not mean there is any increased danger in schools; it simply means we are now required to send more frequent notices than we have in the past. Again, an increase in notifications should not be interpreted as a reflection on the safety of our schools.

Please know that the District will continue to work in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, threat assessment teams, and safety/security personnel. The District has, and will continue to have, a very robust safety/security infrastructure. The well-being of our students and staff remains our highest priority.

Sincerely, Chris J. Venna

Superintendent of Schools