Norwich ― Norwich Free Academy was placed on lockdown Wednesday morning after the discovery of a suspicious package that was later determined not to be a threat, police said.

Police and school officials said the package was discovered at 9 a.m. outside the main entrance to the NFA main campus at 305 Broadway. As police responded, the school was placed on lockdown as a precaution while at other city schools no one from the outside could enter, including parents, and no one could leave.

Students continued to attend classes and could move within the schools, Norwich Public Schools spokeswoman Zakkyya Williams said.

A State Police Emergency Service Unit responded and X-rayed the package, which was determined to be benign and was deemed safe. Normal activities at NFA resumed and the secure school status was lifted for the other area schools.

NFA Head of School Nathan Quesnel sent a letter to staff and parents Wednesday afternoon saying Norwich police were alerted following a brief review of the situation by the NFA campus safety team. NFA first moved into a “stay put” protocol, in which normal activities are maintained, but no movement from building to building is allowed.

NFA then moved into a lockdown with assistance by Norwich police. Tirrell Building was evacuated because it is the closest building to the main entrance, Quesnel wrote. Those students were ushered into Alumni Gym with their teachers.

A portion of the Bradlaw Building also was evacuated into Alumni Gym, with additional staff assigned to the gym, Quesnel wrote.

Quesnel said he kept the school in a hold pattern following the “all clear” from Norwich police, to allow time to tell students what happened. He met first with the students in the gym and then with the entire student body through an online meeting.

“It was important for students and staff to hear directly from me at that point,” Quesnel wrote. “Once that message was delivered, we set the bells in motion to continue our day as scheduled.”

The lockdown occurred on a day when NFA had a previously scheduled a lockdown drill for Wednesday afternoon. Quesnel said the academy canceled that drill, and staff held a debriefing on the actual lockdown instead.

“I want you to know how impressed I was today with the behavior and thoughtfulness of everyone on the NFA campus,” Quesnel wrote. “These situations can be tense, unnerving and cause more questions than we typically have answers for, yet our students and staff were poised and patient throughout the entirety of today’s event, and I am so grateful for that.”

Norwich Police are investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Norwich Police at (860) 886-5561, Ext. 6 or by calling the Department’s Anonymous Tip Line at (860) 886-5561, Ext. 4. All information can be kept confidential.