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Royal Palm Beach High School students relocated after report of alligator near portable classrooms

Posted at 6:52 AM, May 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-22 15:02:56-04

Reports of an alligator near Royal Palm Beach High School prompted officials to move students from some portable classrooms Tuesday morning. 

According to Palm Beach County school district spokeswoman Kathy Burstein, an alligator was spotted by a custodian near a retention pond Monday night.  The custodian then called the principal and school police.

A trapper arrived at the scene and saw the alligator's eyes but was unable to catch it.

Burstein says classes will go on as scheduled. 

Chopper 5 flew over the area at 7 a.m. Tuesday and spotted officers at the scene surveying the area.  

Some neighbors living behind the school said they are taking extra precautions. 

“Keep a close eye on it, peek in the backyard before I let the dogs outside, but other than that what else can you do. It’s Florida, there are gators everywhere,” resident Maria Woodson said.

The school district is awaiting a trapper to see if the alligator is still in the retention pond, or if it left the area.