$221,466 in school safety grant money is heading toward the Brookfield Local School District! School administrators found out Monday, November 28, 2022, that Brookfield Elementary, Middle, and High schools are three of just 708 schools in the state of Ohio to receive grant funding from Governor Mike DeWine’s K-12 School Safety Grant program.
Grants were awarded through a competitive application process in which more than 2,000 schools participated. Funds cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems, and exterior lighting. The $221,466 will be split evenly among the elementary, middle, and high school buildings and is the full grant amount the district requested in the application. Money will be used to upgrade cameras and install door sensors and panic buttons in all three buildings as well as outfit buses with GPS software.
"We are pleased to learn that Brookfield is one of the few Ohio districts to receive funding from this final round of the Governor’s School Safety Grant program,” says Brookfield Schools Superintendent Toby Gibson. “This grant will allow us to provide significant upgrades and improvements to our multi-tiered system of safety supports as we continually strive to maintain and enhance safe learning and working environments for our students and staff."
Brookfield School Resource Officer Gerald Hockey agrees, saying the installation of additional equipment, especially the cameras, will only help to improve the overall safety environment at the K-12 building.
Schools receiving grant funding should have the money by January and must spend the full amount by December 31, 2023. Once the Brookfield District receives its funding, administrators will develop a purchase and installation plan, hoping to have all upgrades in place within 12-18 months.