Belle Vernon elementary student gives teacher bag with "white powdery residue" inside

BELLE VERNON, Pa. (KDKA) -- Police are investigating after a fourth grade Belle Vernon student gave a teacher a bag with a "white powdery residue" inside. 

In a letter to families, the Belle Vernon Area School District superintendent said at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, a Marion Elementary School student gave the classroom teacher a Ziplock-style bag holding a cut red straw with a white powdery residue inside the straw.

The district said the teacher immediately secured the bag and contacted the school resource officer, who is investigating along with Washington Township police and taking appropriate action. 

Items inside the bag weren't able to be immediately identified, but the superintendent said "the substance inside the straw is suspected to be an illegal or regulated narcotic." 

The items were sent to the county lab for testing and information was shared with other local first responders. 

The superintendent said the student who brought the bag to school didn't ride the bus Wednesday morning and went directly to the classroom after getting to school.

All families involved have been contacted and the school nurse conducted a wellness check of the classroom students. 

"This information is being shared with you out of an abundance of caution, to provide transparency, and clearly communicate facts. Student safety continues to be a top priority for our District. Please consider using this situation as a teachable moment with your children," the superintendent's letter said.