Students expected to return to Villa Park school

Students at Villa Park's North Elementary School apparently will return to their classes late this morning.

The students were moved to other schools early this morning as a result of police activity near their building at 150 W. Sunset Drive, authorities said.

That incident apparently involves a house on Ridge Road. As of 11 a.m., police still would not say what had occurred. They did say it does not involve the school.

Streets throughout the area have been blocked by police cruisers, but the perimeter around the house has been shrinking.

Villa Park District 45 Superintendent William Schewe said authorities called him about 6:45 a.m. concerning a "police action" at a home near the northeast corner of the North School property and told him a SWAT team would be arriving shortly.

This was students' first day back from winter break. The North School students initially were directed to attend Jefferson Junior High School, which is only a few blocks away.

"The head custodian was there and the police were there," he said. "They wouldn't have let (children) in."

Educators used phone trees to inform parents.

He said students were told to report to Jefferson. The kids waited in the gymnasium until police told Schewe it would be at least three hours before they could return to North School.

At that point, kindergarten through third-grade students were sent to Schafer School; fourth-graders were sent to Ardmore School and fifth-graders were sent to Westmore School.

Schewe said he's been told students can return to North School around 11 a.m. He said they will eat lunch where they're at and then be bussed back to North.

A school bus was outside the school around 11 a.m.

A police officer will be stationed at the school all day.

Schewe said he didn't consider canceling school for the day.

"We really didn't know how long this thing would last," he said. "It could've been over quickly and students could have had a full day here."

Schewe went to the site and talked to police. Officers from several surrounding communities and SWAT teams were there.

He said he doesn't fear for students' safety and doesn't have any worries about kids coming back to the school.

"Of course, we're always very concerned about student safety," he said. "But there were plenty of police and the area was cordoned off. It's very, very safe."