Safety comes first, and it seems like Orange and Lawrence County schools got the memo with more than $344,000 in state funding earmarked for security enhancements, including a big focus on tech and support services. In a move aimed at fortifying the local education establishments, State Reps. Chris May (R-Bedford) and Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) have announced that several area schools will benefit from the Indiana state legislature's major $27 million investment in school safety this year, doled out via the Secured School Safety Grant Program.
It's all about creating a safe zone for learning, and as part of the initiative, the upgrade includes support for resource officers, state-of-the-art equipment, and even active event warning systems, because eyes and ears can always use a high-tech boost, the program also has room for threat assessments along with student-parent support programs, because safety isn't just locks and alarms, it's a community effort. According to a statement obtained by Indiana House Republicans, May mentioned, "It is great to see many local schools take advantage of this grant program," emphasizing the goal "to improve school security and safety across the board so we can continue making Indiana schools among the best in the nation."
The list of schools getting these much-needed funds spans a good stretch of the counties and includes Lawrence County Independent School with $32,374; Mitchell Community Schools at $46,250; North Lawrence Community Schools receiving a significant $92,500; Orleans Community Schools getting their hands on $64,750; Paoli Community School Corp. was awarded $38,889; Springs Valley Community School Corp. with $37,000 and Springville Community Academy netting a tidy $32,375 in grant money for safety overhauls.
What's even more reassuring is the centralization of efforts as lawmakers push forward with legislation to have the Office of School Safety nestled under the Department of Homeland Security, bringing together the safety puzzle pieces under one roof, showing clearly that Indiana is putting its money where its mouth is, since the program's inception in 2013, the state has funneled over $214 million into school safety, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to protecting its future generations. In Bartels's words, "This funding provides schools with the ability to make their campuses safer," which he linked to the broader community desire "Upgraded security and more resource officers will help schools achieve the level of safety that communities want to see," as told by Indiana House Republicans.
