EDUCATION

$47M in safety grants awarded to Ohio schools. How much did Wayne, Ashland districts get?

Rachel Karas
The Daily Record

More than 1,000 schools across 81 counties in Ohio were awarded thousands of dollars to help update security measures.  

Gov. Mike DeWine announced at the Ohio School Safety Summit on Tuesday a total of roughly $47 million would be divvied out as part of Ohio's K-12 School Safety Grant Program.  

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Black River and Northwestern local and Wooster City school systems were among six districts in Ashland and Wayne counties to receive money. Although safety upgrades will not be completed before the upcoming school year, area school officials shared their plans for how the money will be spent.

Safety Grant funds going to Ashland County schools  

Ashland County Community Academy was awarded the highest allocation possible per school — $50,000.  

Assistant Superintendent Nichole Helenthal said via email the funding will mainly be used to update the “extremely outdated security system” as well as some facility upgrades. 

Ashland County Community Academy has been awarded a $50,000 School Safety Grant, which will mainly be used to update the school's security system.

Black River Schools Superintendent Chris Clark said his district is receiving $35,000 that will be split between all three schools.  

The main project, Clark said, will be updating the PA system in the elementary and middle school.  

Hoping to gain more funds by reapplying, Clark said, the district will then turn its attention to projects such as updating the districtwide key fob system, installing a few new cameras and installing more door alarms.  

A $35,000 Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant award will be split between three Black River schools.

Safety measures for Wayne County Schools  

Wooster City Schools Superintendent Gabe Tudor said his district is thankful for the roughly $50,000 they were awarded.  

Cornerstone, Melrose and Parkview elementary schools were each awarded $2,740, while Kean will get $16,641 and Edgewood receives $25,162.  

With the money, Tudor said, they plan to upgrade their camera surveillance system and visitor management system.  

Cornerstone Elementary is among several Wooster City schools to receive an Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant. The district received a total of $50,000, which will fund safety upgrades in a number of district buildings.

Northwestern Local Schools received the biggest grant award of area schools – totaling $150,000 – with $50,000 going to each school in the district.  

Superintendent Jeffrey Layton said via email the district will update the campus-wide MARCS Radio repeater system and camera system.  

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With more than 100 cameras already installed throughout the district, Layton wrote they are looking to replace some older analog cameras and upgrade digital recording devices.  

Dalton High School received $50,000, which district treasurer Patrick McGinty said will likely go toward adding a key fob system to the doors.  

Dalton High School received a $50,000 Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program award. The money will be used to add a key fob system to entry doors.

“At our high school we still have keys, so we want to look to implement that key fob system,” McGinty said. “That way we can control who has fobs and shut fobs off a little better than having keys.”  

Orrville City Schools Treasurer Mark Dickerhoof said his district also plans to update its key fob system at the elementary school with the $6,858 it was awarded.  

The $50,000 awarded to Orrville High School will be used for enhancing its camera surveillance system by adding or replacing cameras around the building.  

Reach Rachel Karas at rkaras@gannett.com   

On Twitter: @RachelKaras3