MONROE - After a series of threats in recent years the Janesville school district took another look at its emergency plan to determine how it would deal with threats.

"We had a rash of them six to eight years ago," district public information specialist Sheryl Miller said.

As a result, the district redefined whose role it was to issue an evacuation for the school, the role of the school's liaison officer as well as the superintendent's role after the police department was notified.

"The police department was a strong part of the planning process," Miller said.

Miller said school administrators and staff had updated its crisis management plans. School personnel also encouraged more communication with the students.

"We want them to contact someone from the school if they see or hear anything," she said.

The district also communicated with parents and encouraged them to talk to their children to help stress the point that it wasn't a joke to make threats against the school and help them to realize the consequences of making threats.

The school district had to take the threats seriously; but eventually the activity stopped and the district discovered who made the threats, Miller said.