Suspicious Package Near Two Elementary Schools In Charles County Under Investigation

UPDATE – Police have cleared the school campuses of Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School. The suspicious package reported this morning was an empty feral cat shelter made from a plastic cooler.

Berry Elementary School will be closed for all students today. All students who rode a bus to school this morning were re-routed to Westlake High School. The suspicious package was reported around 8:45 a.m., which was right when Berry was preparing to open for the school day. This is why bus riders were re-routed to Westlake this morning. Parents of students who got on a Berry bus this morning can pick their child up at Westlake. Westlake is located at 3300 Middletown Road in Waldorf.

Additionally, there were AlphaBEST students already at Berry this morning when the package was reported. Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) is picking up all of these students by school bus and taking them to Westlake. These students should be at Westlake by 11:45 a.m. Any Berry student who is still at Westlake this afternoon around 3:45 p.m. will be taken home by their normal bus. Parents who are picking up their child at Westlake should bring photo identification.

Mattawoman Middle School is resuming normal operations and will dismiss students on time this afternoon.

WALDORF, Md. – The investigation into the suspicious package outside of the Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School campus is continuing.

All students and staff who were already at the school this morning prior to 9 a.m. are safe and accounted for inside of the school.

Police have notified school officials that it is safe for students and staff to be inside of the school. We will continue to notify you with any updates.

All Berry bus riders are safe and accounted for at Westlake High School.

Berry parents with students who ride a bus to school can pick up their child at Westlake, starting at 10:30 a.m. Please bring a photo ID when picking up your child from the school.

Police have notified CCPS officials that Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School are safe for students and staff to be inside. Both schools are in a secure status, meaning no one can leave or enter the buildings. The secure status is a precautionary measure. Parents are encouraged to not try to pick their children up from either campus. Police have traffic blocked at this time. Any Berry Elementary School student who rides a bus was taken to Westlake High School in Waldorf. Parents can pick up their children from Westlake (if they ride a bus to Berry) and should bring photo identification. CCPS will share updates as we receive them.

The Maryland State Police bomb squad is on the scene and investigating the suspicious package. Police continue to confirm both Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School buildings are safe for students and staff to remain inside.

Both schools are in a secure status at this time, meaning no one can enter or leave the buildings. Although Mattawoman is in a secure, operations are continuing inside the school as normal. Parents are encouraged to not attempt to visit either school campus, as police have blocked the entryways.

AlphaBEST staff are supporting all students who were at Berry prior to the change in the school status. Berry Elementary School students who RIDE A BUS were transported to Westlake High School, located at 3300 Middletown Road in Waldorf.

Parents of these students can pick up their child at Westlake. Mattawoman Middle School is not dismissing at this time due to the secure status and active investigation. CCPS will continue to update you as soon as we learn more information from police.