SOUTH POINT, Ohio (WSAZ) – More than 900 schools in Ohio are receiving the latest round of funding through Gov. Mike DeWine’s K-12 School Safety Program. The money allows for local school districts to enhance current safety equipment and purchase additional measures to keep students and staff members safe.
“It’s the one thing that keeps you up at night,” said South Point Local District Superintendent Sam Gue. “There’s a lot of responsibility with us as a staff and collectively as a team. That is our priority every single day that we come here.”
Gue says that safety is always at the forefront of his mind. The South Point Local School District was recently awarded $200,000 as part of the latest round of distribution. That money will be split evenly, with South Point Elementary receiving $100,000 and Burlington Elementary receiving $100,000.
“Each school has a very high-tech, high-end security and video surveillance system,” said Technology Coordinator Nick Clay.
Before applying for the grant, Clay says they conducted a thorough assessment of each school and took note of specific needs that each school has. He says that the new funding will go toward things like ballistic door films, an expansion of the video surveillance and public address systems, and handheld radios.
“Technology always gives us the upper hand when it comes to security. Technology allows you to see what’s coming before it actually gets to the building. Access control security always allows you to let into the building only what you want into the building. Technology plays a large role in keeping everything secure,” Clay said.
This most recent award brings South Point’s total to $400,000 since the inception of the K-12 School Safety Grant Program. The district previously received funding for South Point Middle School and South Point High School. Gue says it is a huge chunk of change that helps protect what is most valuable; students and staff.
“That’s our number one priority. I certainly hope our families see that, know that, and recognize that because that is our heart,” Gue said.
Other schools in Lawrence County also received funding through the latest round of distribution. Dawson-Bryant in Coal Grove received $300,000, and Chesapeake received $150,000.
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