TIFTON — After conducting multiple searches of the school and not finding anything suspicious, Eighth Street Middle School has resumed its normal operations after two threats were called in this morning.

The ESMS front office received a call from a private number from a person who said she was coming to the school and the school “better be ready,” according to a statement from Tift County Public Schools.

“We immediately began with our safety procedures, placing staff members at every entrance around the school and notified the proper authorities,” the release states.

Following that, a student received a phone call on her cell phone with the caller saying he was going to bomb the school.

As staff and law enforcement searched the building, students were kept in their classrooms, and anyone who came to the school or was leaving was physically searched.

The school chose not to evacuate.

“The first call indicated the threat was on the outside of the building,” the release states. “The second call said the threat was inside, but the call came from outside of the building. This is an incredibly difficult choice to make, but our emergency training and recent attacks have shown it is generally safer for the students to remain secure inside. An active shooter can make a threat that requires evacuation and then attack students and staff once they are outside. We believed it was safer for everyone (students and staff) to stay in their classrooms.”

The school plans to have an increased local law enforcement presence.