The Board of Education met on Feb. 26 to discuss topics such as the threat made on Hays High during the week of Feb. 12, the construction of a convention center and other topics influential to the school district.

The meeting began with the Best of the Best Awards being handed out to Shonda Hickert and senior Gavin Jacobson.

Secretary Sue Rouse nominated Jacobson and said to the board that he deserved the award because he was also so happy to see her.

“I met Gavin last year when I was working as a job coach,” Rouse said. “He was never one of my students, but he always remembered my name, he always waved, and he always smiled. Whenever I saw Gavin, I knew I could count on that smile to pick me up and keep me going.”

When awards were done, Superintendent John Thissen spoke about the threat made on the high school. Thissen apologized to the board and to the public for not communicating sooner.

“It is important for all to know that we do have an organized crisis committee that meets three times a year,” Thissen said. “The committee members include representatives from the fire and police department, and Homeland Security regularly attends. We have secretaries, principals, custodians and food service who also attend the meetings. The crisis plan was recently updated.”

Thissen explains that private and public schools are involved with drills, but crisis situations cannot be practice as they are very complex.

The next meeting will be held on March 5 in the Toepfer Board Room.

19ibraun@usd489.com