CAMDEN — (Nov. 16, 1:15 p.m.) Normal activities have resumed at Camden-Rockport Middle School Monday, after School Superintendent Maria Libby made the decision with CRMS administrators to place the school in “Stay Put” mode at the start of the school day.

“Classes have resumed and the stay put has been lifted based on information and advice from the police that the situation is under control and there is not safety concern at this time,” said Libby Monday afternoon in an email. “The ‘Stay Put’ provision is used when there is not an imminent threat to the student safety, but when we have cause to limit movement within the building.”

That cause came in the form of a complaint to Rockport police of alleged concerning Instagram messages sent Sunday night from an unknown username to some CRMS eighth-graders. Libby said the account holder’s message was that they “also attended school here [CRMS].”

She said that CRMS administrators were notified by the police Monday morning of the social media messages, and the complaint that followed that initiated a police investigation into the matter.

“Because the language in the exchange implied potential harm to oneself or others, we chose to put the school in ‘Stay Put’ as soon as school began,” said Libby.

The school remained in stay put for approximately 1-1/2 hours, she said, while school and district officials worked with the police to investigate the situation.

“With help from the state crime lab, we were able to determine the threat originated from overseas. Student backpacks and lockers were checked as a precautionary measure before we knew the origination of the posts. Cell phones were also collected in order for the police and school to investigate without the risk of misinformation being communicated to the community in the meantime,” said Libby in the Monday afternoon press release.

In a phone call, Libby said they were able to conclude that the students and the school were safe because the concern came from overseas, and there has been time to investigate.

“We had help from the state crime lab, in terms of their cyber sleuthing,” said Libby. “So between us, the police and the state crime lab, we know where it came from - overseas - and we know that the students are not in danger, there is no immediate threat, no imminent threat to school safety.”

She added that the main concern for administrators for the school and students was their safety.

The investigation into the alleged threats is ongoing by Camden Police Detective Curt Andrick.

CAMDEN — (Nov. 16, 11:30 a.m.) A report of "concerning messages" over the weekend on social media between Camden Rockport Middle School eighth-grade students over the weekend prompted school administrators to request that students remain in their homerooms Monday morning while Camden and Rockport police investigated.

School Superintendent Maria Libby and CRMS Principal Jaime Stone sent an email to parents at 8:07 a.m. on Nov. 16, alerting them to the modified lock down.

"The police brought this to our attention and are helping us to investigate," the email said.

School officials said that student cell phones had been collected Monday morning, and that eighth-grade backpacks and lockers were in the process of being searched.

"We hope that this is not more than an emotional high or low of adolescent behavior but we need to err on the side of caution," they said.

Camden Police Detective Curt Andrick said that the threat was reported to Rockport police Sunday evening. He said that police were told the threat came from social media.

Camden Police Chief Randy Gagne said the threat was made via Instagram, and he and Andrick characterized the threat as "vague."

"Based on the threat, the school district took precautionary measures while the threat was being investigated," said Andrick.

Andrick said officers responded to the school Monday morning, and remained there until the school resumed normal activities, around 10 a.m.

He said that the confiscation of student cell phones was part of the school's precautionary measures. He would not comment on whether the phones were to be used as part of the police investigation.

Andrick said that while the incident remains under investigation, early information has uncovered that the threat came from overseas.

"We have determined there is no threat or danger to any students at CRMS at this time," said Andrick. "I would like to add that the staff and students at the school were very helpful and remained calm during the situation."

Also in the early morning email, school officials said, “We ask at this time you allow us to focus on quickly resolving the issue and refrain from contacting the school... We will provide an update within the next hour. “

A call to School Superintendent Maria Libby has not yet been returned.

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com and 706-6655.