Schools get $2M for safety upgrades

Eight Sandusky-area school districts will see significant security upgrades thanks to new state funding they received. In recent weeks, schools in Erie, Huron, Ottawa and Sandusky counties collectively got about $2 million in state grants to make safety improvements to district buildings. Specifically, Huron County garnered the most funding with $1.1 million, and Erie County earned more than $409,000 in grants. In total, Gov. Mike DeWine awarded more than $42 million to 624 Ohio schools to support physical safety and security upgrades as part of the fifth round of Ohio's K-12 School Safety Grant program. This new round of funding means that, in total, almost 2,800 Ohio schools have now been served by the grant program, with more than $215 million in total funding awarded. "Our educators care deeply about the safety of Ohio students as evidenced by the thousands of schools that came forward with solid security improvement plans that they intend to carry out with this funding," DeWine said. "There is nothing more important than the safety of our kids. Every qualifying school that applied for a grant has now received at least one award, including schools in all 88 counties." In 2021, DeWine partnered with the Ohio General Assembly to launch the K-12 School Safety Grant program to help schools pay for physical security expenses such as new security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems and exterior lighting. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, a state agency, administered the program in partnership with the Ohio School Safety Center. The program was funded through Ohio's operating budget and with allocations from the American Rescue Plan Act. Perkins shares gratitude for grant Perkins Schools, for instance, received $234,000 in funding for upgraded security measures around the district's buildings. For the fifth round of funding, district officials sought and received grant money for signage, security cameras and fencing. In recent years, Perkins received $149,500 for its security needs from the grant program, officials said. "The K-12 school safety grants enable Perkins Schools to enhance the security in and around our four school buildings," superintendent Todd Boggs said. "With additional cameras, we will be able to better monitor activity on school grounds, and the improved signage will help visitors easily find their way around the schools." Perkins disclosed how its new grant funds will be appropriated: ● Furry Elementary: $59,200 for signage ● Meadowlawn Intermediate: $69,300 for signage and fencing ● Briar Middle School: $55,700 for signage and cameras ● Perkins High School: $49,800 for signage and cameras Boggs thanked Perkins Schools administrators and staff for their efforts in compiling the grant applications to get the funding. The successful grant applications were completed by several individuals: assistant superintendent Rena McClellan; education management information system coordinator Annette Sennish; interim treasurer Betty Schwiefert; buildings and grounds director Greg Linkenbach; high school assistant principal Drew Davie; district technician Brad Streng; district administrative assistant Michele Baumgardner and Perkins police Officer Jacob Marsinick. Breaking down the grants Other schools that recently received state grant funding were: Erie County Total: $409,200 for seven school buildings (including Perkins) • Edison Schools — Edison Elementary: $56,700 — Edison Middle School: $68,500 — Edison High School: $50,000 Huron County Total: $1.1 million for 12 school buildings • Each of Norwalk Schools' six buildings received $100,000 apiece. • New London Schools' elementary, middle and high schools got $100,000 each. • South Central Schools — South Central Elementary: $100,000 — South Central Jr. High: $80,000 — South Central High School: $50,000 Ottawa County Total: $225,650 for five buildings • Port Clinton Schools - Bataan Primary and Port Clinton High School: $50,000 each - Bataan Intermediate: $50,850 - Port Clinton Middle School: $51,800 • Put-In-Bay - Put-in-Bay School: $23,000 Sandusky County Total: $153,800 for three buildings • Clyde-Green Springs Schools — McPherson Middle School and Clyde High School: $50,000 each — Clyde Elementary received $53,800 Source: K-12 School Safety Grant program _ Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood