A forced entry took place last week at the THS learning center, the new two-story academic area that opened at the start of the semester.

Tonganoxie USD 464 Superintendent Loren Feldkamp said this past Thursday in a release on social media that learning center floors, stairs and a few walls sustained damage with the forced entry the night before on Wednesday, April 27.

Tonganoxie Police Chief Greg Lawson said he wasn’t able to release much information because it’s still an active investigation, but noted that it was classified as burglary and criminal damage. Surveillance cameras at the high school have been used as part of the investigation.

Feldkamp didn’t have much information to release beyond last week’s statement. Due to privacy issues, the district isn’t releasing names of individuals involved in the situation, but proper discipline is being administered, per the release.

Feldkamp confirmed Monday that the incident involved some THS seniors.

Some of the disruptions involved wrapping caution tape around certain areas and putting chairs atop tables, and strewing napkins and other materials on floors, but the substance that has caused substantial damage was an oil substance like cooking oil on cement floors and select walls. That is the cleanup that left areas roped off for cleanup starting Thursday. Feldkamp said there still was cleanup work to be done, but areas were almost fully open again Monday.

“The oil seeps into the pours of the cement,” Feldkamp said. “That’s what caused the most damage.”

He said most of the damage was in the cafeteria area, but that exact damage estimates still were being determined.