Front of William Allen High School
WFMZ-TV | Jenny McCain

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Back-to-school got off to a rocky start in one Allentown school Monday morning. Students at Allen High say they never made it into the building before being turned away due to a bomb threat.

Kiana Santiago was walking into senior year at William Allen High School.

"I already had nerves, I was shaken up," she said. "Because it's my senior year and I'm going back to school, obviously I'm going to be nervous."

Monday was supposed to be Santiago's last first day of school, of her high school career. That is, until she never even got to make it into the building.

"I'm like really?" Santiago said. "On my first day?"

Allentown police responded to William Allen High School at around 6:45 a.m. for the report of a bomb threat Monday morning. In a note sent out to parents, the school says it was made aware early Monday morning and evacuated the school "out of an abundance of caution."

Police and fire on site were "conducting a thorough investigation," according to the school, "to ensure the safety of all students and staff."

"You come to school like, 'oh, let me get this over with,' and then this stuff happens," fellow senior, Mia Mercedes, said. "It's terrible."

By 8:45 a.m. students were dismissed. Buses arrived around 9:15 a.m. to take them home for the day.

"It's terrible, it's cold," Mercedes said. "Excited to come to school and then we see all these kids outside."

Students at Allen High say there were quite a few bomb scares last year as well.

"Yeah, a lot of times," Mercedes said.

"It would be like, a few in one month," senior Arianna Vasquez said.

"But I came this morning and I just see all this, and I'm like, tired," Santiago said. "I'm exhausted now."

And while some say they're getting desensitized to the bomb threats, for many, it's another added concern, on top of the usual first-day jitters.

"It's definitely scary," Santiago said. "Teachers being evacuated, and caution tape over there."

Police left the school just before noon after conducting a sweep with a police canine team. Authorities say no suspicious items were located through a search of the building and grounds.

Police say this investigation is still active. They say that anyone who makes false bomb threats will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan says in some cases, these charges can also result in paying thousands of dollars in restitution and he's sending a strong message to anyone thinking of making threats.

"If we catch you, we're gonna tag you for it and you're gonna get locked up if we can lock you up and if a judge agrees we're gonna hit you up for all of the restitution," Holihan says.

The Allentown Police Department is asking anyone with information to call Detectives at 610-437-7721 or the Police Desk at 610-437-7753 (ext. 1). Additionally, anonymous text tips can be sent via the Tip411 App available on the Allentown Police Facebook Page or via the Allentown Police Department website at https://www.allentownpa.gov/Police.