The Westby Area Schools were evacuated briefly Monday morning as authorities investigated a suspicious package found on the school grounds.

Vernon County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Jim Hanson said officers were called to the school at about 10:30 a.m. due to a suspicious package.

The package, school officials said, turned out to be a holiday prop from the technical education department. It was a fake Christmas gift that was three foam boards in holiday wrapping paper. The item had been moved from a locker to be thrown away as school areas are in the process of being cleaned out as this is the last week of classes. However, the package was left out on some pipes and when it was discovered by some people who didn’t know its origin, it raised suspicions.

Evacuation protocol was followed at the school. Once the investigation was complete, classes resumed.