Thanks to the Denny International Middle School parent who shared an alert sent today to families from Denny and adjacent Chief Sealth International High School:

A Denny student reported a suspicious vehicle following them as they walked to school this morning. The vehicle drove away when the student took out their cell phone. The student reported the incident when they arrived at school. Denny staff immediately contacted the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Safety and Security team.

SPD officers were dispatched to the school and patrolled the area near our school throughout the day. An additional member of the SPS Safety and Security team was stationed outside the school in the area where the vehicle was last seen. He will be stationed there again on Thursday.

I am proud of how the student and our school community responded. Our school and district safety protocols were followed. Our school and district staff remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering the well-being of every student.

You can help your student(s) stay safe by talking to them about personal safety:
• Reporting incidents as soon as they happen,
• Being aware of surroundings,
• Not talking to strangers or going anywhere with them,
• Walking to school or activities in pairs or groups.

The alert, signed by Denny principal Jeff Lam and Sealth principal Ray Garcia-Morales, did not include a description of the car, nor the specific area(s) in which the student was followed. We’re trying to obtain those additional details.