Wareham schools were evacuated Monday following an emailed threat to an administrator regarding a possible school shooting on the first day of summer school and summer educational programs.

After officials, some who were heavily armed, performed an exhaustive sweep of Warham Middle School, Wareham High School and Minot Forest Elementary, Police Chief Kevin Walsh said law enforcement gave the all clear at 4 p.m.

Walsh noted an administrator at the school received an email Monday morning that "came from an unknown source saying they were inside a school in Wareham and that they threatened to shoot people." This threat was "close to the top level," and "very specific," Walsh said.

Wareham Schools Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood was then notified. Due to the specific nature of the threat, law enforcement agencies from across the region, including the South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council's SWAT team, responded, said Walsh.

"We did what we had to do," said Walsh. "Safety was the paramount objective."

In total, between 80 to 100 students at Wareham High School, 200 to 300 students at Wareham Middle School and 70 to 100 students at Minot Forest Elementary were evacuated. Students were participating in various summer school, enrichment and sports programs at the time.

Walsh praised public safety officials who responded, which included officers from multiple towns in the region, parents and students who were "unbelievably cooperative with all of our instructions."

At approximately 11:45 a.m., parents learned that their children would be bused from Wareham High School and Wareham Middle School to the Gleason Family YMCA on Charge Pond Road. Wareham High was evacuated first. At approximately 1:15 p.m., students could be seen evacuating Wareham Middle School.

Everyone was evacuated safely and there were no injuries, Walsh said.

A portion of Route 6 was shut down from Gibbs Avenue to High Street for a number of hours, with traffic rerouted as police evacuated the schools.

According to a message from Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood posted on the district website: "Today an email was sent to an administrator which threatened the safety of students. Buildings have been placed in lock down as the police are in process of searching the buildings. Information will be shared as it becomes available."

On Monday at around 2:30 p.m., Shaver-Hood confirmed at a press briefing that all school activities are planned to proceed for Tuesday.

"We look forward to a full day of school tomorrow," Shaver-Hood said.

If the person who made the threat is found, they will be "prosecuted to the fullest," Walsh said. The state and Homeland Security are investigating who sent the email, and Wareham Police is "the lead investigator of the whole incident," Walsh said.

Wareham Police and Wareham Fire responded to Viking Drive shortly after 10 a.m. on Monday. State Police, law enforcement agencies from surrounding towns, SWAT teams, and helicopters soon followed.

"Your children are safe and the situation is being handled with an abundance of caution with the safety of your children in mind," Wareham Police told parents via a Facebook post just before 12:30 p.m.

Parents flooded the Town Hall parking lot around 11 a.m. to determine whether, when, and where they could pick up their children.

"It's like what you see on TV," a woman said into her phone, "but it's real life."

Parents expressed frustration with the uncertainty of the situation.

"I want my kid now," one woman yelled.

"We got no call from the school about this. I saw it on Facebook," said Melissa Wilson, whose daughter was attending the kindergarten literacy program at Wareham Middle School. "There was no talking about anything. I think it was handled absolutely wrong. It's absolutely ridiculous."

Later, parents reported receiving phone calls from the district on the situation, including one telling them to pick up their children at the YMCA.

At approximately 11:40 a.m., district school buses arrived on Viking Drive.

Confused patrons asked bystanders what was going on as they entered and exited Town Hall, which is adjacent to Wareham Middle School. Wareham High School is further down Viking Drive. Officers began clearing the Town Hall parking lot completely at 11:45 a.m.

Decas elementary did not have any students inside, but some staff were present and was checked by law enforcement officers as a precaution.

"Right now, it's just a sad situation," said Thomas Hendricks, a parent with a daughter who was in the middle school. "We want our children, that's all. You have 99 people telling you wrong stories."

At the YMCA, Y staff member Lu Brito addressed waiting parents.

"I've got kids too. I sympathize," Brito said. "The fire department and police department will take care of it."

The YMCA prepared to have drinks available for the kids who were awaiting parent pick-up.

"This is the safe zone," said Sharon Quinn, a staff member at the YMCA.

"This was my son's first day of school ever," said Sarah Smith, who picked her kindergarten-age son up at the YMCA. "He didn't want to go today, and we made him."

In addition to school programs, the Wareham Gatemen were practicing on Spillane Field, next to Wareham Middle.

"I think they're doing a great job. They've got the SWAT team on it," said Sean Callahan, Gatemen assistant coach, who was on the field with his team until everyone was evacuated.

This is the third threat of a school shooting made to Wareham Public Schools this year.