An area school district is one of three in Kansas receiving federal grant money for student safety.
USD 417 Morris County is receiving over $450,000 from the Community Oriented Policing Services’ School Violence Prevention Program. It’s the largest grant provided to a Kansas school district in this round of funding, topping the $332,000 going to USD 259 Wichita and the $250,000 headed to the Smoky Hill/Central Kansas Education Service Center.
US Attorney for Kansas Stephen McAllister says the grants announced Monday are part of $85 million in funding awarded nationally by the US Department of Justice to bolster school security, including funding to educate and train faculty or to support first responders handling a school shooting or other violent incident.
Superintendent Aron Dody says the grant will let the district install a remote-access security system for use by Council Grove Police, Morris County deputies and Wabaunsee County deputies if needed. It will also lead to the installation of an integrated intercom-notification system for each school room and the reconfiguration of entrances at all district schools.
Total project cost is around $700,000. The grant pays for 75 percent of the improvements.
