Students were evacuated from the Hillsboro High School/Middle School for approximately two hours after a bomb threat was found Friday afternoon, according to superintendent Jim Smith.
Smith said a note was found on the floor outside a restroom in the middle school and that another message was found inside in the restroom.
The notes were found a little after 11:30 a.m. and all students and staff, except essential personnel, were evacuated from the building. Smith said local law enforcement was notified and both the Hillsboro Police Department and Highland County Sheriff’s Office responded.
“They were out here very quick and we do want to thank them. They were very efficient,” Smith said.
A comprehensive search of both buildings, including lockers, was conducted and nothing indicating any type of bomb was found, Smith said.
Students and staff were allowed back in the building around 1:50 p.m.
The evacuation started around lunch time, so cafeteria personnel prepared sack lunches and food was carted out to the students and staff who were evacuated to the bleachers at the soccer-track complex.
“We rolled out what would substitute for lunch as best we could,” Smith said.
Staff members checked all vehicles as they entered the campus. Smith said that after a one-call message was sent out around 1 p.m., several parents wanted to come and pick up their children. So staff members were taking information from those entering the school grounds and relaying that information to office personnel so students could be sent home.
Operations at the elementary school just north of the high school/middle remained normal, Smith said.
At Wednesday night’s board of education meeting Smith said new emergency plans at all the school district’s buildings had been put in place and had been approved. He said those plans were implemented Friday.
Students were dismissed from school at the regular time.
“We will investigate the matter and see where that goes,” Smith said.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.
