Pashinski announces $319,028 to area schools for critical safety grants

Apr. 29—WILKES-BARRE — State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski on Monday said feeling safe in school is essential for our future leaders to get the education they need.

Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, announced that state funding has been awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to Luzerne County schools to improve school safety and support mental health programs for both students and staff.

"No child should have to go to school fearing for their life and no parent should have to worry about sending their child to school," Pashinski said. "This funding will go toward putting these children and their parents minds a little more at ease and I am proud to have helped secure this funding for that."

The schools awarded grants include:

—Wilkes-Barre Area School District — $249,028.

—Bear Creek Community Charter School — $70,000.

Pashinski said this new round of grants completes the federal and state school safety funding of $155 million, allocated in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.

These funds will advance the School Safety and Security Committee's goal of ensuring that all Pennsylvania students can learn in safe, healthy school environments by helping school entities address basic safety needs and mental health services identified in the committee's recently adopted Revised Baseline Criteria Standards.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.