Project Grant 15JCOPS23GG04562SSIX

HILLDALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOCUS IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR STUDENTS, STAFF, FAMILIES AND PATRONS OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR DISTRICT HAS BEEN ATTENDING TRAINING TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON PREVENTING STUDENT VIOLENCE AGAINST OTHERS AND THEMSELVES AS WELL AS, RESPONDING TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISES IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT RECEIVED THE STOP SCHOOL VIOLENCE GRANT IN 2020 AND ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS. HOWEVER, WITH THE PANDEMIC CREATING LOSS OF STAFF AND SHUT DOWN OF SCHOOLS OUR NEED TO CONTINUE THIS GRANT FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS IS IMPERATIVE. OUR DATA IS SKEWED DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN BUT UPON REOPENING THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT JUMP IN THE NUMBER OF THREATS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. IN ADDITION, OUR DISTRICT IS HAVING TO DEAL WITH A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT AND NEED FOR STUDENT AND STAFF TRAINING DUE TO THE INCARCERATION OF A STUDENT FOR TERRORISTIC THREATS TO THE SCHOOL AND STUDENTS. AS THREATS ARE VERY REAL IN OUR DISTRICT, OUR DISTRICT SAFETY TEAM HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS THROUGH COUPLING OUR TRAINING FROM OTHER SOURCES WITH THE GOALS FOR THIS GRANT. THE FIRST GOAL: TO PROVIDE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT BY UP GRADING OUR ENTRANCES TO THE DISTRICTS OLDER BUILDING INSTALLING SECURE DOORS AND SURVEILLANCE OF THOSE ENTRY POINTS WITH REMOTE LOCKING DEVICES. THE SECOND GOAL: TO PROVIDE UP GRADED COMMUNICATION IN THE DISTRICT BY INSTALLATION OF BROADCASTING INTERCOM SYSTEM AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND TO ADD RADIO SYSTEM FOR OUR SROS IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL, STUDENTS AND STAFF AND THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. OUR DISTRICT SAFETY TEAMS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO COUPLE THE ONGOING TRAINING WE RECEIVE UNDER ANOTHER FEDERAL GRANT AND THE EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY NEEDED IN THIS GRANT TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO COME TO SCHOOL AND LEARN. THE UPGRADED SECURITY OF OUR BUILDINGS WILL ALLOW FOR A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE AND WILL ASSIST OUR DISTRICT IN MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR SCHOOL TO BE A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT. OUR DISTRICT SAFETY TEAM HAS TAKEN OWNERSHIP IN SYSTEMATICALLY NOT ONLY TRAINING BUT COACHING OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS IN PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES DEALING WITH SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH. BUT IN ORDER FOR TRAINING TO BE EFFECTIVE OUR SCHOOL MUST BE SECURE. THE VIOLENT THREATS OUR DISTRICT HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS DEPLETED OUR ONCE HIGH PERCEPTION OF SAFETY. NOW OUR DISTRICT IS WORKING TO PROVIDE SECURITY AND TRAINING TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR TEACHING AND LEARN.