Topsham’s Mt. Ararat High School briefly shifted into a shelter-in-place protocol Thursday morning after officials received an anonymous tip about a bomb threat, which was determined to be unfounded in a matter of minutes.

The anonymous tip came in at approximately 8:54 a.m., alleging that a student had made a “vocal bomb threat in a classroom earlier [Thursday] morning,” according to a statement sent to parents and posted on the district’s Facebook page on Thursday morning.

School officials and law enforcement quickly located the student named in the tip and conducted a search, according to the statement from Maine School Administrative District 75 Superintendent Heidi O’Leary.

The school initiated a shelter-in-place order, which lasted just 16 minutes. The protocol “allowed law enforcement to complete their investigation efficiently while ensuring the safety and privacy of all students and staff,” according to the superintendent.

Within minutes of the report, police and school officials determined there was no credible threat to the building or students and staff.

“We want to emphasize that making a bomb threat is an extremely serious matter, regardless of whether or not it is intended as a joke,” O’Leary wrote. “Under Maine Law, making a bomb threat is a crime and is a direct violation of MSAD 75 policy. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as they handle this criminal matter and will administer disciplinary consequences in accordance with school policy.”

“We appreciate the swift, coordinated efforts of our administrative staff and the Topsham Police Department to manage this situation efficiently and ensure the safety of our students,” the statement ends. “The safety and security of our school environment remains our highest priority.”