Two Highland County school districts, including six total school buildings, have been selected to receive more than $200,000 in Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant funds, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office announced Tuesday.
The Greenfield Exempted Village School District will receive $155,730 to be divided across its five buildings. Buckskin Elementary will receive $26,830, Greenfield Elementary gets $32,483, Greenfield Middle School will receive $36,888, McClain High School was awarded $36,137 and Rainsboro Elementary will receive $23,392.
The Bright Local School District was awarded $50,000 to be used at Whiteoak High School.
The funds will be used to enhance the safety of students and staff members.
A total of 1,183 schools in 81 counties will receive nearly $47 million in grant funding as part of the program. Grants equal the amount requested by each school up to $50,000. Funds will be used to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems and exterior lighting.
“Our district was excited to learn this morning about Governor DeWine’s commitment to provide safety grant funding to the districts whose original grant applications were denied,” Greenfield Superintendent Quincey Gray said. “As part of the original grant process, we completed a threat assessment for all five buildings in our district. Because we were not identified as high-need, we did not receive the first round of funding. Our grant team identified the following areas in which we plan to utilize the funding: additional security cameras and mobile radios, an updated public address system, the implementation of a new visitor and emergency management system, and possible infrastructure changes that will enhance safety and security in our district.”
Bright Local Superintendent Mike Bick also said the district is excited about the opportunity to enhance security for its students and staff.
“The Bright Local School district will be utilizing the funds to upgrade our camera systems as well as improved door locking systems on our campuses,” Bick said. “The School Safety grant provides us the opportunity to provide increased active shooter and school safety training for staff as well as the ability to identify and assist students who may need help socially and emotionally.”
Bright Local is one of the few school districts across the state that has staff members — who have completed required training — that carry firearms on school property.
Governor DeWine first launched the K-12 School Safety Grant Program in 2021 with an appropriation of $5 million in Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly, which was awarded in May to 98 schools in 27 counties. This year, the governor and legislature partnered to increase the grant program by an additional $100 million with support from the American Rescue Plan Act.
In an earlier round of funding in May, Southern State Community College received $149,500.
The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC), in partnership with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, will begin accepting applications in the coming weeks for the $53 million in funds remaining in the K-12 School Safety Grant Program. Schools that have not yet applied for funding or whose applications were ineligible in previous rounds will be given first priority.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
