In September of the school year, a false survey was sent out to between 20-40 girls at WA. The survey used the name of an official company, and was designed to look as though it had been sent from the WA Health Department.

A student recently reported the survey to Officer Geoffrey Pavao, who led an investigation to further discover the origins of the survey. Principal James Antonelli revealed that the creator of the survey was a WA student.

“The student was punished,” Antonelli said, “for soliciting information using a different business front, but putting it under Westford Academy’s umbrella.”

Antonelli went on to reveal that although facing consequences, the student was allowed to return to Westford Academy.

“[We] met with the parents, [and] outlined expectations moving forward,” Antonelli said regarding the student’s return to WA.

In addition to the consequences the student faces dealt by Westford Academy, the student is also facing additional charges from the Westford Police Department.

The student was able to send out the survey by using technological talents.

“Very bright student, very IT savvy,” Antonelli said.

The school will be working further with the Director of Informational Technology to try and prevent any future attempts to create or send scam surveys of any sort.

“Today, it’s pretty difficult to stop some of these things,” Antonelli said.

After a girl came forward and informed the authorities about receiving the survey, they were able to track it down, and the student who created it confessed to doing so.

Antonelli, the police, and TSA officials emphasize that students should follow a ‘see something, say something” policy, because some of the students were approached about it in September, but they did not speak up.

“If you see something, say something, and we could have extinguished that a lot earlier,” Antonelli said.