The bomb threat at Jefferson Elementary yesterday has been cleared, said Pullman School District Superintendent Paul Sturm.

The school secretary discovered the bomb threat on the voicemail system at around 8 a.m.

The recording was left by what sounded like a young adult male and indicated the school might not be safe, Sturm said. It mentioned a bomb on the premises.

While most students had not arrived at the school yet, those on the premises were then immediately evacuated to Pullman High School while parents were notified of the situation, said Sturm.

Students already on buses were rerouted to the high school, and parents were advised to wait to bring their children to school until an all-clear was delivered.

Students returned to class around 9:30 a.m. after police and faculty swept the school premises and confirmed there was no threat.

Police traced the call to an IP address overseas, according to a Pullman School District press release. They believe the caller likely used information about the school found online, and did not report any actual threat. However, police will continue to investigate the source of the call.

The scare renewed confidence in the school’s safety protocol, said Jefferson Elementary Principal Craig Nelson.

Nelson attributes practice and preparation to the efficiency of yesterday morning’s evacuation, saying the school did frequent drills.

Despite overall relief, Nelson noted a slight uneasiness among the school’s faculty, staff and students. “We have a heightened sense of awareness of the things that are around us,” he said.

Nelson said some parents kept their children from returning to the school yesterday.

“The drills paid off,” he said. “That’s the most important thing.”