Michigan Schools Receive Millions in State Safety Grants

Fifteen northern Michigan school districts will be sharing millions of dollars in state grants for school safety efforts.

The state announced 150 awards on Tuesday, totaling $10 million in state funding. It comes from the CSSGP, the Competitive School Safety Grant Program, and the dollars can be used for equipment and technology to improve the safety of students, staff, and school buildings.

At the Greenspire School in Traverse City, Superintendent Robert Walker says they’ll be making improvements to the middle school.  “We’re really looking at upgrading our entrances, and then as well, making the two buildings communicate with each other better for safety. Both indoor and outdoor since we have that outdoor education component here at Greenspire,” Walker says.

They’ll also be adding what he calls “a unified alert system between two buildings, as well as cameras. (It is) our plan to upgrade those, to have both schools with similar entry programs.” Walker adds, “For a small school like us, this is really important. It makes a significant impact for us. That it can help us really to find creative ways to find solutions to kind of the everyday problems of schools.”

In all, safety grants are being award to 71 different school districts and ISDs across the state, and 40 nonpublic schools.

Schools in northern Michigan that are receiving funding include:

Charlevoix Montessori Academy for the Arts   $18,238

Concord Academy Boyne – $42,500

COOR ISD – Roscommon  – $50,000

East Jordan Public Schools –  $1200,000

Evart Public Schools – $91,000

Harrison Comm. Schools – $15,792

Cadillac Heritage Christian – $50,000

Leland Public School – $12,600

Northwest Ed Services (TC) – $50,000

Renaissance Public Academy – Mt. Pleasant   $24,940

Oscoda Area Schools – $80,336

Roscommon Area Schools – $147,300

Sault Ste Marie  Schools – $250,000

St. Ignatius – Rogers City – $45,581

Greenspire Middle School – Traverse City – $37,000

TCAPS – $250,000

Traverse City Area Public Schools was unavailable to comment on this story.