Austin, MN (KROC-AM News) - The classrooms at Austin High School were about half empty today in the wake of the discovery of a threatening note. The Austin School District notified parents last night about the threat and today the absentee rate at the school was around 58-percent.

The students who did attend class today were greeted this morning by staff members assigned to check student IDs and search backpacks. The heightened security was ordered after a note containing a vague threat of a shooting at the school at noon today was discovered in the bathroom of the boy's locker room yesterday afternoon. Officials say investigators are still working to identify the author of the note.

Heightened security measures are expected to remain in place for the rest of this week. The Austin School District will begin observing it's winter break at the end of the school day on Friday.

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