LEWISTON — The School Committee thanked and praised Lewiston Middle School Principal Jake Langlais and his staff for their handling of the death of a student Nov. 3.

School Committee Chairwoman Linda Scott opened the meeting Monday night with a moment of silence for Jayden Cho-Sargent, 13, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck Thursday as he was crossing Main Street on his way to school.

“It was a very tragic event,” Scott said. “It was something nobody should have to deal with or go through.”

She was at the middle school Thursday, watching how the school handled telling students about Cho-Sargent’s death.

“I was quite amazed at what I saw,” Scott said. “I saw a school community come together so quickly. I saw staff from other schools come to the middle school and do what needed to be done without question.”

Everyone was on top of what was happening that day, she said. “But what I saw more than anything else was leadership, from Jake,” she said.

Scott said she watched as Langlais spoke to students in the auditorium, “told them what had happened that morning. I watched him perform all day long with the staff, students, the media, with parents, with phone calls, endlessly.”

Twelve hours later, she watched Langlais stand before hundreds of community members who attended a vigil to honor Jayden.

“Again, he showed complete leadership,” Scott said. “I don’t know how to express my thanks for what he did that day and what he did for our school. From the bottom of my heart and the school board, I stand in your honor, sir,” Scott said, looking at Langlais. She stood, as did others in the room.

“You treated us so well and I am so proud,” Scott said.

Those in the room applauded Langlais.

Langlais thanked Scott and said it was his staff that allowed him to do what he needed.

“We had a lot of support that day,” he said. “I was surrounded by a bunch of professionals I trust completely and allowed me to do what I needed to do. I can’t thank all those people enough.”

The outpouring of support that has come from every angle of the community is amazing, Langlais and others said.

The tragedy touched those not only in Lewiston but also in nearby communities.

The Tripp Middle School community in Turner, which hosted the football championship games over the weekend, held a fundraiser for Jayden’s family, Scott said.

More than $1,800 was raised at the gate and in passing a helmet around at the games.

“I couldn’t believe the size of the crowd and how generous people were,” Scott said. “I saw kids taking money out of their pocket.”

The Lewiston Superintendent’s Facebook page reported that more than $10,000 has been raised on the GoFundMe page at  https://www.gofundme.com/jayden-chosargent-memorial-fund.

Also, students and staff from Auburn Middle School sent their support to the Lewiston Middle School Pink Team, and parents of students from Lewiston-Auburn and surrounding towns have gone to Lewiston Middle School to leave cash donations and food for the family.