FULLERTON – A suspicious note was found taped to an administration door Wednesday morning at Sunny Hills High School, prompting the school district to close the campus.

Fullerton police were notified at 6:38 a.m. that a school employee found the note taped to the door at Sunny Hills High but would not elaborate much on what the note said.

The note was “not a bomb threat and no nexus to terrorism,” police Lt. Alex Bastreri said.

Authorities said the Fullerton Joint Union High School District closed the school as a precaution.

The district posted this on its website:

“Sunny Hills High School experienced a perceived student threat on the safety to the students and staff. Out of an abundance of caution, the principal and superintendent made the decision to close Sunny Hills High School for the day. Police are on campus and are conducting a sweep of the campus. Nothing has been found; however, out of an abundance of caution, the campus is closed for the day. All other schools are open.”

Allen Whitten, the Sunny Hills principal, stayed on campus Wednesday after “we had a team of teachers to help sweep the students off campus,” Whitten said.

“We had to make a thoughtful decision about moving forward with our exam schedule or closing the school,”Whitten said. “(Closing the campus) was in the best interest of the community.”

Police officers responded to the campus and “to support (school officials) and turn the kids around and conduct an investigation on the source of the note,” Bastreri said.

There are 28 cameras on the Sunny Hills campus and Whitten said the administration “has some leads” on who may have left the note.

Sunny Hills students were scheduled to take final exams between Tuesday and Thursday this week, and many students suspected the note was a hoax another teenager made to get out of taking an exam.

“I was concerned with what happened in L.A. yesterday, but then I thought it was kids that don’t want to take the final or something,” said Sana Abbaali, a 16-year-old junior at Sunny Hills High School who was ready to take her A.P. U.S. History final Wednesday.

When Abbaali arrived at school Wednesday, she was told to wait with other students in the gym during an initial lock down, but was later instructed to go home.

“It wasn’t really clear what happened at first, everyone announced that there was a note on the door,” she said.

Angelica Song, another 16-year-old junior, said she saw on social media that the school was closing.

“I woke up this morning and people were on Twitter and online saying there was a lock down and they were packed in the gym and the performing center,” Song said. “I had been up all night studying for my calculus final, and I went to campus to take it, because I had to go to get an A.”

But when Song arrived, she heard an announcement over the campus loud speaker that classes were canceled and students were forced to go home.

Daniel Briones, a 16-year-old sophomore, said police officers were barricading the entrance of the school Wednesday morning, so he couldn’t go inside.

“My friend called me and told me school was closed, but I thought it was a joke, but I figured out it wasn’t,” Briones said.

“I think it was a kid who didn’t want to take his finals,” he said. “I studied all night and now I can’t take (my final), so it was disappointing.”

James Choi, a 17-year-old senior, said he was also prepared to take two finals, AP Government and AP Language.

“I think its concerning and scary,” Choi said. “A lot of students are saying it’s a hoax and people are trying to get out of finals.”

Choi hopes the closure will not result in the school operating Friday – the first scheduled day of winter break. He planned to see “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Thankfully for Choi, the school plans to have four periods Thursday instead of two, Whitten said.

But not everyone is happy.

“That’s unfortunate,”said James Furukawa, a 17-year-old senior. “I was looking forward to getting out at noon (on Thursday). Four periods? Oh, man.”

And while some students may benefit by having an additional day to study for finals, many more may suffer because the school will likely be unable to afford the school’s end-of-the-year dance, as Wednesday’s ticket sales were expected to help fund it, Whitten said.

Noelle Grajeda, also a 17-year-old senior, said she was scared when she heard about the threat because of what happened Tuesday in Los Angeles and New York.

“I just hope it wasn’t serious,” she said. “We didn’t know if it was a joke or not.”

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com