Massapequa's Unqua Elementary School evacuated after threat

A Massapequa elementary school was evacuated Tuesday morning after receiving a threatening message, disrupting school on the first day of state assessments, officials said.

Unqua Elementary School, at 350 Unqua Rd., sent students and staff outdoors to a field as police investigated the threat, according to a message posted at 11:10 a.m. on the Massapequa school district website. Students were relocated to Berner Middle School, but were able to return to Unqua by about 2 p.m., school officials said.

A notice posted Tuesday afternoon on the district website read: "We have received clearance from police officials to re-enter the Unqua school and resume normal activities. . . . Normal activities are resuming inside the building, and dismissal will occur at regular time from Unqua under normal procedures. No students will be released until everyone is back in the Unqua building and accounted for, as per our evacuation protocols."

School officials said nothing unusual was found at the school.

The evacuation of students, however, disrupted the administration of state assessments in grades 3 through 6. School officials said that all classes that did not complete Tuesday's assessments will do so Friday.

Students were scheduled to take state assessments starting Tuesday in English. The English and math tests are being given across the state in grades 3 to 8 through April 26.

The post did not cite the exact nature of the threat.

A Nassau County police spokeswoman said police were investigating at the scene, but had no additional information.