MINOT – After three hours of deliberation Tuesday night, the School Committee found that the conduct of two eighth-grade Minot Consolidated School students warranted expulsion.

The vote to officially expel the two was unanimous.

The two 15-year-old boys stood accused of conspiring to take hostages and possibly harm six students and two teachers.

Their plot came to light on Friday, Feb. 27, when some students told their parents. Officials were notified and on Monday, March 1, the two teenagers were arrested before the start of classes.

In its stated findings of fact, the committee declared that the teenagers had brought a pellet gun into the school on Feb. 12, and concealed it there until Feb. 24. It also found that the two compiled a list of people they intended to seriously harm.

Until Tuesday night, both students had been on 10-day suspensions and ordered to keep away from the school and other students. One boy was under house arrest and the other was sent to an out-of-town boarding facility.

Life at the school has returned to normal, but an effort to thoroughly review security procedures continues.

As part of the response, voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting raised $20,000 to renovate the school entrance. The project will allow strict monitoring of people entering and leaving the building.