The Greene County Career Center notified parents Monday about a threatening message found on a bathroom stall wall Dec. 11. The message, scrawled in ball-point pen and located inside a stall, threatened to kill people Dec. 18.

Ron Bolender, public information administrator for the GCCC, said school officials immediately contacted deputies, who started to investigate. Security will be beefed up at the school Tuesday.

“We have cameras throughout the school, but we can’t have them in restrooms - especially the stalls,” Bolender said.

The notification to parents was delayed due to the Connecticut tragedy.

“There was discussion about sending the call out Friday, but that would have heightened emotions even more,” Bolender said. “It’s not really connected to what happened Friday, but it certainly intensifies the emotion. We take it seriously, regardless, and had steps in place before that happened.”

Bolender said the message was reported by a student. About 600 students are enrolled in the main campus at 2960 W. Enon Road in Xenia Twp.

He said the career center is constructed more like a college campus than a traditional high school, with two buildings and a number of outside entrances.

“We do keep them locked down, and all outside labs with overhead doors are fenced in with locks,” he said. “Since Columbine; that was the turning point in ramping up security system and having cameras.”

As for whether he expects students to stay home Tuesday in response to the treat, Bolender said the school respects how each family approaches attendance.

“The safety of our students and staff are paramount,” he said, “I can’t emphasize that enough.”