PdC public schools to receive $92,733 toward safety upgrades
The Prairie du Chien Area School District is receiving $92,733 to use toward school safety modifications. According to an Aug. 16 announcement from the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) School Safety Grant program, Prairie is one of 60 recipients sharing $2,559,666 from the final allocation awarded during the DOJ’s first round funding through the program.
“A very large portion of the grant is going to be for interior locking door locks for classrooms,” stated Bob Smudde Prairie du Chien Public Schools district administrator. “Other things include buzz-in security systems at each building, upgraded video recording systems at all three buildings, increased cameras at each site, and installation of panic buttons in each of the school offices.”
Smudde acknowledged that reaching the district’s $92,733 request didn’t take long, given the size of its buildings and the amount of doors district-wide.
“Once these things have been installed, we can focus more on the training of staff in the areas of crisis response,” he said.
The grant application period for the second round of grant funding is now open, and 688 schools and school districts report they intend to apply by the end of the month, the DOJ shared.
“Round two will be a great opportunity for schools across the state to participate in advanced mental health training and create local intervention teams in order to stop violence before it happens,” Attorney General Brad Schimel said.
In total, 723 schools and school districts completed applications and received awards totaling $48,483,015 in the now completed first round. Thirteen schools withdrew from the first-round grant process for a variety of reasons, including some schools that closed or moved out of state.
Over $48 million remains available for a second round of school safety grant funding, with approximately $3 million reserved for school safety projects that will be announced at a later date. Applications for the second round are due August 30. Schools and school districts that applied for the first round of grants are eligible for the second round of grants, and will apply for the second round.
