Maine West High cleared after bomb threat

Maine West High School students were released early Tuesday after an anonymous bomb threat was made, Des Plaines police said.

Principal Eileen McMahon said police used dogs to search the building and found no bombs.

Brett Clark, the district's director of communications, said officials received the bomb threat via a phone call shortly before 1:45 p.m. Clark said officials immediately called Des Plaines police, who recommended the school be evacuated.

McMahon said the district is working with police to identify who made the bomb threat.

"We take any threat to our school very seriously," McMahon wrote in a message to district families Tuesday.

The school began early dismissal at 1:45 p.m., and, according to police, all staff members and students were cleared from the building without issue.

Students who needed a ride home, either from school buses or their parents, went to nearby Lake Opeka park to be picked up, Clark said.

Clark said Pace, which provides bus service to the school, was amazingly cooperative throughout.

"The community really came together," Clark said, who also praised Des Plaines police and the Des Plaines Park District. "It's great to be able to know we've got the support of those other organizations."

McMahon said school will be conducted as usual Wednesday.