Indian Creek High School administration canceled homecoming activities last Tuesday after the Shabbona school was vandalized the night of Sept. 22.

Last Monday night, profane remarks and graphic drawings were written on the school with shaving cream and soap, Principal Jim Hammack said.

“The idea was not that the school had been vandalized,” Hammack said. “The issue was the messages.”

Hammack said the profanity was directed toward individual teachers and faculty, and it included remarks about police.

Hammack met with the school superintendent Bruce Bauer and some teachers the morning the vandalism was discovered. They decided it would be best to cancel homecoming activities for the week.

“The kids really handled it well,” said Barb Jordal, president of the school’s sports boosters. “The kids’ spirit wasn’t dashed at all. The students knew something had to be done.”

Indian Creek does not have a football team; the events celebrate the soccer and volleyball teams. The scheduled games for the week were played without festivities like the homecoming bonfire and picnic.

“We have wonderful kids down here; it’s a great place to work,” Hammack said. “We also have high standards. If we didn’t cancel it, we’d be telling the community it’s OK to go trash and deface the school.”

The school said it will pursue criminal charges against anyone directly involved with the graffiti. DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies are conducting an investigation.

Hammack said the school experienced ordinary homecoming-related vandalism the night before.

“That’s OK, we expect that,” he said.