The chief of Bristol police said interviews with Bow High School students who attended an underage drinking party at the school superintendent’s house in Bristol last month are ongoing.

Chief John Clark said a primary concern is how the alcohol was provided.

“It has nothing to do with the superintendent. It has to do with the concern of underage students at a party where there was no adult present,” Clark said. “There’s a level of responsibility that needs to be recognized and taken … We’re very much interested in how the liquor got there.”

A parent of one of the students contacted Bow High School Principal John House-Myers a few days after the party when the parent heard that teenagers got drunk at Superintendent Dean Cascadden’s home on Jenness Hill Road in Bristol.

Cascadden’s son allegedly invited 11 Bow students into his parents’ home while they were attending a wedding out of state. Even though Cascadden’s son lives outside the Bow school district, a provision in his contract allows his children to attend Bow schools without paying tuition.

Police were never called to the home when the students gathered there. No charges have been filed.

The chief, who said he formerly served on the Attorney General’s Underage Drinking Task Force, hopes law enforcement and school officials can teach students about the consequences of underage drinking.

“What we’re looking to do is make sure the school system works within its policies and make sure we’ve taken every possible step to make this a learning experience,” Clark said.

Clark expressed disappointment that some people have downplayed the seriousness of what allegedly occurred.

“It’s nice to say 11 kids were at a party and nothing happened. Something could have happened,” he said. “I’m not sure I buy that argument.”

Clark wouldn’t comment if marijuana or other narcotics were present at the party, or if anyone became ill or injured, saying, “Those are questions that still need to be answered.”

Because the 11 students are athletes, they were given punishments from the school’s athletic department for violating an athletic code of conduct. However, since the alleged behavior occurred off school grounds, the School Board said the school itself could not punish the teens.

At the Oct. 1 Bow School Board meeting, Chairman Warren Fargo said he heard some type of smoking was involved.

“Alcohol was involved, smoking was involved, but what kind of smoking, I’m not sure,” Fargo said.

Cascadden has said in interviews that he didn’t know about the drinking incident until four days after it happened, when the high school principal was informed.

“I’m dealing as a parent with things that many other parents have to deal with,” Cascadden said at the time. Police said he has been fully cooperative with the investigation.

The majority of the School Board said they support Cascadden and do not believe the incident should affect his job.

“His performance has nothing to do with his son’s decisions and actions,” Fargo said.