A threatening note found on the doors of John Essex School on Monday kept most of its students home on Friday, but the day went without incident with heightened security.

“The day went fine,” said Loretta Faye McCoy, the principal of John Essex School. “Most students were absent. The parents were still afraid and kept their children home. The sheriff’s department was here when we got here and throughout the day

“It is still something to be concerned about. (The note) said to have the students out ‘by Friday,’ and they were not out by Friday, so now, what does that mean?”

McCoy said the day went without incident, and about 20 students did attend school.

“We had a good day,” she said. “We just got a lot of work done with the students who were here, and there were a lot of teachers’ meetings with the rest of the time.”

The Marengo County Sheriff’s Department and Demopolis Police Department responded to a call at John Essex on Monday morning when school officials found a note alleged to say for the students not to be in school by Friday. Law enforcement officials canvassed the area, and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in from Tuscaloosa.

Nothing else was found on the school property.

The investigation is ongoing.