$464K in grants to help Western Pa. schools boost security efforts

Stephen Huba | Wednesday, May 1, 2019 4:12 p.m.

Eastern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center

Eastern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center, Derry Township

Four Western Pennsylvaina school entities — a school district, an intermediate unit and two technical schools — have received a total of $464,709 in state grants to enhance their safety efforts.

State Rep. Joseph Petrarca, D-Vandergrift, said the grants were announced by the state’s School Safety and Security Committee, which is part of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

“These state dollars can provide much-needed tools and programs focused on keeping our students safe,” Petrarca said. “The funding allows schools to take proactive steps to keep kids safe, and that can include the purchase of or upgrades to lighting around school buildings, visitor identification systems and special emergency communications equipment.”

The grant recipients are:

Derry Area School District — $80,564 Eastern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center, Derry Township — $28,498 Lenape Technical School, Ford City — $32,347 Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, Donohoe Road — $323,300

The funds can be used for a wide variety of programs that address school safety, including risk assessment and violence-prevention efforts, classroom management, conflict resolution or dispute management initiatives and the installation or purchase of technology related to school and student safety.