Bulldog Bulletin
January E-Newsletter
Important Safety Alert for all Bentley Parents and Guardians
Bentley Parents and Guardians,
Over the course of the last eight days several suspicious incidences have occurred in surrounding communities, leading to the need for heightened awareness throughout the county. None of the reported events occurred in the Bentley Community, but they have been within the boundaries of Genesee County and they warrant all of our vigilance in being watchful for any suspicious activity that could potentially create an unsafe situation for our students.
Please find below a description of each of the four reported events. Three of them involve a middle-aged man driving a grayish-blue Chevrolet Malibu or Impala with tinted windows.
· January 7 - A car matching the above description was reported parked near a bus stop in the Cathy Drive area in the Goodrich School District. A 6th grade female student told police the car followed slowly behind her after she got off the bus. She walked up a neighbor’s driveway and the car pulled into the driveway. She ran to her home and locked the door.
· January 12 - A man matching the same description was reported to have pulled into a driveway of a home in Grand Blanc where a boy was shoveling snow. The mom, who was picking her other child up at a nearby bus stop, saw the man pull into her driveway and drive up near her son. She tried to block the man in but he reportedly started cursing at her and took off at a high rate of speed.
· January 14 – This incident does not seem to involve the same vehicle or physical description as the other three incidents. Flushing Community Schools posted a letter on their web page the evening of the 14th describing an older man driving a white, older model pickup truck with a topper who was reportedly taking pictures of children playing in the front yard of a home in Flushing. When the individual was approached, he quickly left the scene. The driver was wearing square-rimmed glasses.
· January 15 - Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools reported a Rankin Elementary staff member observed an older male in a gray Chevrolet Malibu in that school’s parking lot prior to the start of the school day. In a letter to parents, Carman-Ainsworth officials said they have been made aware by Mundy Township Police that an older male in a car matching the same description has been seen slowly driving through neighborhoods in that area.
Though none of these events occurred in our district, we feel it is prudent to bring them to your attention. Please take this opportunity to speak with your child about the importance of always being aware of their surroundings. Although headphones are very popular, they are a significant distraction to students walking home or playing outside. Please encourage your child to take them off in those situations so they can be acutely aware of their surroundings. Also, please reinforce how they need to respond should they be approached by a stranger.
If you become aware of suspicious activity, please call 911 and report it immediately. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping ensure our students’ safety.
Sincerely,
Rebekah Dupuis
Superintendent