A random security check Wednesday led Gary Community School Corp. officials to close the West Side Leadership Academy and shift students into remote learning.

Gary Area Career Center students also were moved into remote learning Thursday and Friday.

A district release said in-person classes will resume Tuesday, following the Labor Day holiday.

The release said “additional safety measures” were needed at West Side and they’ll be implemented during the closure.

No specific information was provided on the updated security or what led to the action. The release said parents and guardians were notified in advance of the Wednesday security check.

A district official couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

The security move at West Side comes less than a week after an Aug. 27 shooting of two students outside of the new Hammond Central High School. One juvenile was taken into custody.

The School City of Hammond has implemented a staggered remote learning/in-person schedule for middle and high school students. The district said on its website the change will allow time for it to print and distribute student IDs and for security training at all facilities.

Elementary schools continue on an in-person schedule.

Middle and high school in-person classes will resume Sept. 13.

The school year has gotten off to a rough start in the Gary district with air conditioning problems at three schools and districtwide busing issues because of a driver shortage.

Students returned to in-person classes Wednesday at the Gary Middle School. Remote learning continued at the Bailly STEM Academy, a Glen Park middle school, and the Bethune Early Childhood Development Center. The district said in-person classes are set to resume Tuesday at those two schools.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.