Sandusky County schools to receive safety grants

Gibsonburg High School will receive $100,000 to improve school security through the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant.
Gibsonburg High School will receive $100,000 to improve school security through the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant.
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Gov. Mike DeWine announced statewide funding for security upgrades for kindergarten through twelfth grade schools in the amount of $57.8 million.

One Sandusky County school district slated to see some of those security dollars is Gibsonburg Exempted Village School District.

This state safety grant program helps schools pay for security expenses such as new cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badge systems, and security lighting. A total of 708 schools in 57 counties received grants.

Gibsonburg schools will receive $300,000 through the program. That money is earmarked for Gibsonburg High School, middle school, and Hilfiker Elementary. This will be the first year Gibsonburg will receive the funds, which will enhance and improve building security.

“I am very excited to receive this grant, and I plan on using it to upgrade camera software,” Gibsonburg Superintendent Dr. Bob Falkenstein said. He also plans to use the funds on future improvements.

Other districts in Sandusky County that were awarded money for security upgrades are the Woodmore Local School District with a grant of $200,000, Bellevue High School and Middle School receiving $300,000, and Fremont's Sacred Heart School with a $100,000 grant.

Bellevue's elementary, middle and high schools will each receive safety grants of $100,000.

"The safety and security of our students, staff and broader school community has long been a main priority of our school district," Troy Roth, superintendent, said in a news release. "These funds will allow us to better align our safety goals with associated systems and processes."

Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio schools will be receiving $57.8 million for safer school buildings.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio schools will be receiving $57.8 million for safer school buildings.

"We are being proactive in keeping our schools safe in Ohio. Student and staff safety is paramount,” DeWine said Monday in a press release. “These safety grants are helping schools create environments that are secure and welcoming for teachers and their students."

Cheryl Lyman, executive director of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, also said in the release that "School safety plays a crucial role in the academic success of students."

“Students who do not feel safe at school cannot learn to their fullest potential,” she added

In 2019, DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Center, which assists local schools, colleges, universities, and law enforcement agencies to prevent and prepare for threats and acts of violence.

He also helped enhance school security with the Ohio Campus Safety Grant Program and created a student wellness and success fund of $1.2 billion to formulate a wraparound service program that supports building skills and fulfilling students’ familial needs. He also invested $13.5 million to expand mental health services for higher education students.

The funding for these grants and programs is provided by Ohio Facilities Construction Commission in partnership with the Ohio School Safety Center, the Ohio General Assembly, and the governor's office.

Gibsonburg High School.
Gibsonburg High School.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Sandusky County schools to receive safety grants