Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced 239 Vermont schools have been awarded school safety grants totaling $4 million, which will fund infrastructure upgrades designed to improve school safety.
$4 Million in Facilities Grants; $1 Million for Planning and Training
This funding is possible through a $5 million funding package proposed by Scott and passed by the Legislature this spring.
An initial $4 million in grants will fund 560 separate projects in 239 schools to help tighten security and notification infrastructure. Purchases will include interior and exterior door locks, indoor and outdoor public address systems and other infrastructure upgrades to improve safety. Schools were eligible for up to $25,000 and will be responsible for a 25 percent grant match. The average award is around $16,000. The funds will be distributed by the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year.
In addition to this grant funding, another $1 million will be available this fall to support schools in developing emergency plans, training and safety exercises.
“Getting these projects started quickly will help students, staff and administrators focus on learning,” said Scott. “Looking ahead, we will continue to do all we can to enhance the safety of our schools for our children, parents, faculty and the community, including leveraging $1 million from the Homeland Security Grant Program to support planning and training, and working with the Legislature to fund additional infrastructure improvements and preparedness across the entire education system.”
Overwhelming Bipartisan Support
Rep. Alice Emmons (D-Springfield) and Rep. Butch Shaw (R-Pittsford/Brandon) said the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions – the committee responsible for developing the budget for buildings and other non-transportation infrastructure – was pleased the full Legislature strongly supported these investments in school safety. Emmons is chair of the committee. Shaw is vice chair.
Representative Alice Emmons said, “These grants go a long way toward helping to make our school buildings more secure and providing a safer learning environment for our students.”
“As a member of the House Corrections and Institutions Committee, I am very pleased that the committee recommended funding the Governor’s school safety grant program this year. I am looking forward to seeing the results that will be achieved in our efforts to ensure we continue to have safe and healthy schools,” said Representative Shaw. “The only thing our kids should have to worry about in school is whether or not they’ve completed their homework or prepared enough for the big test!”
Senator Peg Flory (R-Rutland), who chaired the Senate Institutions Committee, said, “I appreciate the Governor’s continued focus on enhancing school safety infrastructure, which he brought to our attention. These grants are an important step in our effort to increase the safety of the children and employees in our schools.”
Statewide Assessment Conducted
A statewide safety assessment, directed by Governor Scott and conducted on schools throughout Vermont earlier this year, helped schools and State officials identify needs and priority projects for the available funding.
“Following a statewide safety assessment of schools in March and funding approval by the Legislature, a 12-member committee of school administrators, emergency responders and representatives from the State prioritized a list of measures schools could take to make facilities more secure and better notify staff of an emergency,” the Governor said. “This working group used the list as the basis for scoring applications and for making award recommendations to the Department of Public Safety.”
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas D. Anderson praised the work of the 12-member committee. “We asked this committee to do a tremendous amount of work in a very short period of time,” Anderson said. “Without their dedication and hard work, we would not have been able to get these funds awarded in time for the upcoming school year.”
Additional Security Enhancements
In July, as part of the Governor’s overall strategy to improve school safety, Vermont Emergency Management and the Vermont School Safety Center hosted a series of crisis communications trainings to improve school safety. More than 100 superintendents, principals and school staff from around the state took part. Additional training courses will be held during the school year.
“The response from our schools to this safety initiative has been remarkable,” said Deputy Secretary of Education Heather Bouchey. “We look forward to continuing our work with Vermont’s schools, the Department of Public Safety and the Vermont School Safety Center to make our schools as safe as possible.”
A list of the schools receiving grants and the grant amounts is below:
|
School Name |
Grant Award |
|
Academy School |
$22,622.25 |
|
Albany Community School |
$14,643.38 |
|
Albert Bridge School |
$6,750.00 |
|
Alburgh Community Ed Center |
$12,517.50 |
|
Allen Brook School |
$22,196.25 |
|
Allen Street Campus |
$13,125.00 |
|
Bakersfield Elem and Middle |
$4,417.50 |
|
Barnet Elementary |
$19,597.50 |
|
Barre City School District |
$25,000.00 |
|
Barre Town School District |
$25,000.00 |
|
Barstow Memorial |
$21,750.00 |
|
Barton Graded School |
$14,546.25 |
|
Beeman Elementary |
$25,000.00 |
|
Bellows Falls Middle School |
$5,462.50 |
|
Bellows Falls Union High |
$375.00 |
|
Bellows Free Academy (St Albans) |
$24,738.75 |
|
Bennington Elementary |
$9,807.00 |
|
Benson Village School |
$4,709.25 |
|
Berkshire Elementary |
$11,250.00 |
|
Bethel-Whitcomb Schools |
$22,938.00 |
|
BFA Fairfax |
$24,999.00 |
|
Bingham Memorial School |
$19,705.18 |
|
Bradford Academy and Graded Sch |
$25,000.00 |
|
Brattleboro Union High |
$15,750.00 |
|
Brewster Pierce |
$24,999.75 |
|
Bridport Central School |
$20,999.10 |
|
Brighton Elementary School |
$7,079.25 |
|
Bristol Elementary |
$15,000.00 |
|
Browns River Middle School |
$24,999.75 |
|
Burke Town School |
$15,825.00 |
|
Burlington High School |
$20,625.00 |
|
Cabot School |
$20,709.75 |
|
Cambridge Elementary School |
$22,627.50 |
|
Camels Hump Middle School |
$24,999.75 |
|
Canaan Schools |
$24,385.50 |
|
Castleton-Hubbardton Union |
$1,918.50 |
|
Cavendish Town Elem School |
$10,821.75 |
|
Central Elementary School |
$19,079.25 |
|
Central Vermont Career Center |
$24,750.00 |
|
Chamberlin School |
$18,750.00 |
|
Champlain Elementary |
$24,937.50 |
|
Charleston Elem School |
$15,629.25 |
|
Charlotte Central School |
$24,150.00 |
|
Chelsea Public School |
$4,050.00 |
|
Chester-Andover Elementary |
$25,000.00 |
|
Clarendon Elementary School |
$24,018.00 |
|
Colchester Middle School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Coventry Village School |
$8,432.25 |
|
Craftsbury School |
$24,750.75 |
|
Crossett Brook Middle School |
$24,942.75 |
|
Currier Memorial |
$20,925.00 |
|
CVU High School |
$23,437.50 |
|
Danville School |
$19,197.77 |
|
Derby Elementary School |
$24,996.75 |
|
Dorset School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Dothan Brook School |
$23,475.00 |
|
Dover Elementary School |
$14,367.75 |
|
Dummerston School |
$10,125.00 |
|
Eden Central School |
$16,510.58 |
|
Edmonds Elementary |
$21,750.00 |
|
Elm Hill School |
$21,977.60 |
|
Elmore School |
$5,250.00 |
|
Enosburg Elementary |
$18,750.00 |
|
Enosburg Middle-High School |
$14,732.48 |
|
Fairfield Center School |
$13,153.50 |
|
Fair Haven Grade School |
$959.25 |
|
Fair Haven Union High School |
$959.25 |
|
Fayston Elementary School |
$5,614.50 |
|
Fisher School |
$16,620.44 |
|
Fletcher Elementary School |
$24,999.00 |
|
Flood Brook School |
$3,000.00 |
|
Flynn Elementary |
$24,937.50 |
|
Franklin Elementary School |
$8,904.62 |
|
Georgia Elementary & Middle School |
$24,904.50 |
|
Glover Community School |
$11,625.00 |
|
Green Mtn Tech and Career Center |
$13,114.63 |
|
Green Street School |
$2,858.83 |
|
Halifax School |
$151.34 |
|
Hardwick Elementary |
$24,945.00 |
|
Hartford Area Career and Tech |
$23,475.00 |
|
Hartford high school |
$23,475.00 |
|
Hartford memorial middle school |
$23,475.00 |
|
Harwood Union Middle/High School |
$21,000.00 |
|
Hazen Union |
$20,175.00 |
|
Highgate Elementary School |
$1,228.95 |
|
Hinesburg Community School |
$4,500.00 |
|
Hunt middle school |
$24,937.50 |
|
Hyde Park Elementary |
$8,075.25 |
|
Integrated Arts Academy |
$24,937.50 |
|
Ira Allen Early Ed Center |
$22,125.00 |
|
Irasburg Village School |
$7,500.00 |
|
Isle LaMotte School |
$8,851.69 |
|
Jamaica Village School |
$1,900.71 |
|
Jericho Elementary School |
$20,625.00 |
|
JF Kennedy Elem School |
$4,515.00 |
|
Johnson Elementary |
$19,028.23 |
|
Lake Region UHS #24 |
$25,000.00 |
|
Lakeview Union School |
$10,500.00 |
|
Lamoille Union High 18 |
$25,000.00 |
|
Lamoille Union Middle 18 |
$20,808.05 |
|
Learning Academy at Sudbury |
$15,375.00 |
|
Learning Academy at Whiting |
$19,950.00 |
|
Leicester Central School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Leland and Grey Union High |
$21,755.70 |
|
Lincoln Community School |
$15,000.00 |
|
Lothrop Elementary |
$25,000.00 |
|
Lowell Graded School |
$13,687.50 |
|
Lyndon Town School |
$15,000.00 |
|
Main Street Middle School |
$22,500.00 |
|
Mallett's Bay School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Manchester Elementary-Middle |
$9,675.00 |
|
Marion Cross School |
$24,873.75 |
|
Marlboro Elementary School |
$18,149.25 |
|
Mettawee Community |
$3,000.00 |
|
Middlebury ID 4 |
$25,000.00 |
|
Middletown Springs Elementary |
$10,657.34 |
|
Mill River US #40 |
$15,111.00 |
|
Millers Run School |
$8,250.00 |
|
Milton High School |
$22,500.00 |
|
Milton Middle School |
$22,500.00 |
|
MISSISQUOI VALLEY |
$25,000.00 |
|
Molly Stark School |
$7,218.75 |
|
Montpelier High School |
$4,650.00 |
|
Monument Elementary |
$3,975.00 |
|
Moretown Elementary School |
$4,572.00 |
|
Morristown Elem Schools |
$25,000.00 |
|
Mount Anthony Sr Union High |
$18,067.50 |
|
Mount Anthony Middle School |
$18,727.50 |
|
Mt Mansfield US #17 |
$24,999.75 |
|
Neshobe Elementary |
$25,000.00 |
|
Newark School |
$9,300.00 |
|
Newbrook Elementary School |
$6,706.07 |
|
Newport City Elem Schools |
$3,975.00 |
|
Newton School |
$6,695.08 |
|
North Country Union Jr High #22B |
$25,000.00 |
|
North Hero School |
$6,750.00 |
|
Northeast Elementary |
$4,725.00 |
|
Northfield Middle-High School |
$10,432.50 |
|
Northwest Elementary School |
$15,375.00 |
|
Northwest Technical Center |
$10,033.25 |
|
Oak Grove School |
$15,415.50 |
|
On Point Elementary |
$14,850.00 |
|
Orange Center School |
$20,846.25 |
|
Orchard School |
$18,750.00 |
|
Orleans Central Early Childhood |
$14,963.51 |
|
Orleans Elementary School |
$16,706.06 |
|
Orwell Village School |
$959.25 |
|
Ottauquechee School |
$23,475.00 |
|
Otter Valley Union Main Campus |
$25,000.00 |
|
Otter Valley Union Middle and H |
$19,500.00 |
|
Oxbow Union High |
$24,049.17 |
|
Patricia A. Hannaford Career Ce |
$21,677.90 |
|
Peacham Elementary |
$9,900.00 |
|
Peoples Academy |
$24,750.00 |
|
Peoples Academy Middle School |
$2,250.00 |
|
Pierpoint Learning Center |
$6,562.50 |
|
Poultney Elementary School |
$9,172.87 |
|
Poultney High School |
$15,501.15 |
|
Pownal Elementary |
$14,767.50 |
|
Proctor Elementary |
$12,429.75 |
|
Proctor High School |
$16,949.30 |
|
Putney Central School |
$3,187.50 |
|
Readsboro Elementary |
$24,999.99 |
|
Richford Elementary |
$23,362.50 |
|
Richford Junior Senior High |
$15,000.00 |
|
Richmond Elementary School |
$24,750.00 |
|
Rick Marcotte Central School |
$18,750.00 |
|
Ripton Elementary |
$6,591.07 |
|
River Bend Career-Tech Center |
$10,990.46 |
|
River Valley Tech Center |
$18,553.75 |
|
Riverside Middle School |
$23,301.54 |
|
Robinson Elementary |
$20,250.00 |
|
Rochester School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Roxbury Village School |
$22,500.00 |
|
Rutland High School |
$5,025.00 |
|
Rutland Intermediate School |
$5,025.00 |
|
Rutland Middle School |
$11,175.00 |
|
Rutland Town Elementary |
$20,952.77 |
|
Salisbury Community School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Saxtons River Elementary School |
$18,750.00 |
|
Shaftsbury Elementary |
$11,757.00 |
|
Sharon Elementary School |
$23,625.00 |
|
Shelburne Community School |
$16,125.00 |
|
Sheldon Elementary School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Shoreham Elementary |
$23,042.66 |
|
Shrewsbury Mountain School |
$25,000.00 |
|
SHS Union District (Spaulding Union HS) |
$23,429.46 |
|
Smilie Memorial School (Bolton) |
$24,999.75 |
|
Smith Elementary |
$24,937.50 |
|
South Burlington High School |
$10,054.50 |
|
South Burlington Tuttle Middle |
$17,554.50 |
|
South Royalton School |
$13,257.75 |
|
Springfield High School |
$22,454.81 |
|
St. Albans City School |
$23,689.85 |
|
St. Albans Town Educ Center |
$24,719.25 |
|
St. Johnsbury School |
$25,000.00 |
|
Stamford Elementary School |
$18,970.50 |
|
Stockbridge Central School |
$3,375.00 |
|
Stowe Elementary School |
$24,987.00 |
|
Stowe Middle/High School |
$24,750.00 |
|
Sunderland School |
$12,825.00 |
|
Sustainability Academy |
$24,937.50 |
|
SVSU Early Childhood |
$2,140.50 |
|
Swanton Schools |
$18,750.00 |
|
Thatcher Brook Primary School |
$15,056.25 |
|
Thetford Academy |
$20,250.00 |
|
Tinmouth Elementary School |
$21,691.50 |
|
Troy Elementary School |
$16,500.00 |
|
Tunbridge Central School |
$11,850.00 |
|
Twinfield Union School |
$24,044.34 |
|
Underhill Central Elementary School |
$24,999.75 |
|
Underhill Id Elementary School |
$24,999.75 |
|
Union Elementary School |
$22,500.00 |
|
Union Street School |
$23,521.87 |
|
Vernon Elementary School |
$3,829.19 |
|
Waitsfield Elementary School |
$20,281.50 |
|
Walden School |
$7,438.88 |
|
Wallingford Village School |
$23,499.00 |
|
Wardsboro Central School |
$8,100.00 |
|
Warren Elementary School |
$23,642.25 |
|
Washington Village School |
$23,737.50 |
|
Waterford Elementary |
$24,942.00 |
|
Waterville Elementary |
$21,483.30 |
|
Weathersfield School |
$1,125.00 |
|
Wells Village School |
$16,181.18 |
|
West Rutland School |
$13,903.31 |
|
Westminster Schools |
$9,600.00 |
|
Weybridge Elementary |
$18,960.68 |
|
White River School |
$23,475.00 |
|
Williamstown Elementary |
$18,750.00 |
|
Williamstown Middle-High School |
$5,625.00 |
|
Williston Central School |
$24,930.00 |
|
Windham Elementary |
$4,964.63 |
|
Windsor School |
$11,175.00 |
|
Winooski High School |
$18,525.00 |
|
Winooski Middle School |
$9,997.50 |
|
Wolcott Elementary |
$24,937.50 |
|
Woodbury Elementary |
$24,150.00 |
|
Woodford Hollow School |
$9,608.25 |
|
Total |
$3,998,241.17 |
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