COLUMBUS — Additional state funds are headed to Richland County schools for security upgrades.
More than 900 schools across the state will receive funds in the fourth round of Ohio’s K-12 School Safety Grant Program, Gov. Mike DeWine’s office announced Feb. 2.
Mansfield City Schools received a total of $218,852, including allocations for Malabar Intermediate School, Mansfield Senior High, Sherman Elementary, Springmill STEM Elementary and Woodland Elementary.
Holly Christie, director of student support programs, said schools had to specify how grants funding would be spent by selecting from an approved list of items.
Mansfield City will use its funding to update exterior security cameras and public address (PA) systems throughout the district. Other purchases will include more lighting in school parking lots, walkie talkies, traffic cones and equipment for directing traffic and receiving emergency weather updates.
Madison received a total of $225,775, including allocations for Eastview Elementary, Madison South Elementary School, the middle school and the high school.
Supt. Rob Peterson said he was extremely excited to see the applications approved.
“Just a few examples of how the funding will be used in our buildings include the purchase and installation of additional security cameras and devices to reinforce both internal and external doors,” Peterson said.
“We are committed to a safe learning environment for our students and staff, and these funds will allow us to continue to strengthen the security of all of our buildings.”
Crestview Elementary received $95,000. Supt. Jim Grubbs said he was grateful for the funding and praised state legislators and the governor for their efforts to keep schools safe.
Crestview applied for three grants last school year. Funds were allocated for the middle and high school during the second round of the program. Grubbs said the final piece of funding will allow the district to carry out all of its planned security upgrades.
“Some of the planned projects were district and not necessarily building-specific, leaving us with insufficient funds to do everything we had planned (after the second round),” he said.
“We have two main projects that will enhance communication and improve our ability to monitor our facilities in and out of the district.”
Pioneer Career & Technology Center received a $50,000 award.
“Pioneer is pleased to be included in the most recent round of Safety Grant Awards,” Supt. Greg Nickolai said.
“We are excited to use these funds to update our building access, surveillance and emergency response systems in our continued efforts to provide a safe, secure environment for our students and staff.”
The Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program was created as part of Ohio’s operating budget with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. After three rounds, the Ohio General Assembly allocated an additional $112 million for rounds four and five through House Bill 45. DeWine signed the bill in January.
“When we created the K-12 School Safety Grant Program, we expected that the need for funding would far exceed the amount of money available, but I vowed to go back to the legislature and ask for more,” said Governor DeWine.
“Now, with the generous support of the Ohio General Assembly, I’m proud to announce that every single qualifying school that applied for a grant will receive funding.”
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission is administering the program in partnership with the Ohio School Safety Center. So far, a total of $173 million has been awarded to 2,374 Ohio K-12 schools to help pay for physical security expenses such as new security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems, and exterior lighting.
Eligible schools could receive as much as $100,000 per building. DeWine’s office said a fifth round of funding will be announced in coming weeks.
