Safety grants awarded to schools in Berks County

State lawmakers Reps. Tom Caltagirone and Mark Rozzi, and state Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, and Sen. David G. Argall, announced the approval of several School Safety and Security grants.

“The security of our children and schools remain a high priority for me,” Caltagirone said. “This grant is important in that it provides the funds needed to improve security in our public buildings as well as needed training.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently announced over $53 million in school safety grants, including grants to public schools in Berks County. These grants are given to schools to assist in the continuing effort to prevent violent incidents.

“We need to protect our children and the employees in our public school buildings,” Rozzi said. “This grant will help put needed safeguards in place, which is of the utmost importance in this day and age.”

The Majority Policy Committee, which he chairs, held 10 roundtable discussions on this topic and proper funding to address safety concerns in public and nonpublic schools was one of the recurring themes.

“Our children are our future, and making sure they have a safe environment to learn and grow in is critically important. These grants will go a long way to ensuring these schools will provide just that,” said Argall.

In the Berks County the following districts and the amounts: Antietam, $30,000; Boyertown, $495,000; Brandywine Heights, $35,000; Conrad Weiser, $40,000, Daniel Boone, $40,000; Exeter, $45,000; Fleetwood, $40,000; Gov. Mifflin, $45,000; Hamburg, $223,171; Kutztown, $35,000; Muhlenberg, $40,000; Oley Valley, $35,000; Reading, $45,000; Schuylkill Valley, $35,000; Tulpehocken, $187,554; Twin Valley, $40,000; Wilson, $45,000.

In addition, the Berks County Intermediate Unit garnered $254,733.

This grant for the BCIU will fund a card access system, portable radios, trauma informed training and other costs.

“School safety must be a paramount priority for all of us,” Schwank said. “These funds will help our school districts and the BCIU continue their ongoing efforts to keep our kids safe at school.”

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency receives hundreds of applications for the School Safety and Security grant program. The School Safety and Security Committee approved 524 grants Wednesday, Feb. 26.