Attorney General Brad Schimel announced another group of districts receiving school safety grants. Those 14 schools received more than $1.7 million. Eight of those schools are in Northeast Wisconsin.
According to Schimel, 94% of public schools statewide have applied.
These grants, which were part of legislation passed earlier this year, to give schools the funds to increase building security. They also allow staff to go through trauma sensitive training, so they can help students with mental health concerns.
“This is going to be huge for us in terms of ensuring those connections that students feel engaged in their school environment no matter what their history and challenges might have been,” said Judy Baseman, Appleton Area School District Superintendent.
Appleton and Menasha school districts both plan to increase security within their buildings by updating locks, security cameras, and installing shatter-proof films on entryways. They say they hope to see it done soon.
“”We’ve already taken a look at trying to get a hold of contractors and working on purchasing the films so that can be installed as soon as possible,” said Chris VanderHeyden, Menasha Joint School District Superintendent.
Attorney General Schimel says while these grants cannot be used for school resource officers, however, the DOJ will standardize a curriculum for school resource officers as well as certification statewide. He says he hopes schools consider this.
“This is exactly what I want. I want the local school district to decide what’s best for their schools, and I’m not going to interfere with that,” said Schimel.
The schools and districts include:
• Appleton Area School District, $767,207;
• D.C. Everest Area School District, $239,975;
• De Pere School District, $62,200;
• Howards Grove School District, $66,757;
• Lena School District, $61,720;
• Menasha Joint School District, $164,600;
• Mishicot School District, $63,090;
• Muskego-Norway School District, $33,659;
• Phelps School District, $23,107;
• Saint Peter Catholic School, $20,000;
• Sturgeon Bay School District, $103,930;
• Waupun Area School District, $99,979;
• Winter School District, $62,385;
• Waupaca Christian Academy, $20,000
