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Threat that evacuated 2 schools unfounded

Posted at 10:59 AM, Jan 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-26 20:00:30-05

Parents in Palm Beach Gardens breathing a sigh of relief - hours after receiving a call no one wants to hear.

"It's frightening...I've always worried, I've always been concerned about something like this." one parent told us.

"It's unnecessary, It's scary when they're threatening children like that."

The bomb threat was called into Meyer Academy, a K through 8 school in Palm Beach Gardens.

It forced the evacuation of students and staff.

That evacuation spread to the neighboring Mandel Jewish Community Center, and its preschool.

School staff and about 350 kids were whisked away to an undisclosed location as a precaution.

"Everybody is safe, that's what matters, everybody handled themselves really nicely," says parent Yaron Kapitolnik.

The private Jewish day school not the only one in Florida threatened.

Similar threats were called into a school in Maitland, near Orlando, on Tuesday.

Palm Beach Gardens police are saying it's too early to say if they are connected.

Over the past few months, public school students in Palm Beach County are seeing threats become an increasingly common part of the school day.

At least a dozen threats have made to to public schools in the county since the school year began – frustrating for parents and school officials trying to track down those responsible.

"There are a lot of crazy people out there, but we non-crazy people have to continue doing what's right," Kapitolnik says.

With his son safe and sound in his back seat, Kapitolnik has a message for both concerned parents - and for those causing the chaos.

"We have a Jewish quote saying "never to be afraid". That's what we need to do."

Palm Beach Gardens police are asking anyone with info on this threat to call police.