For the City Times

MADISON — Almond-Bancroft School District is among those in the latest round of grant funding, receiving $61,579 towards safety initiatives.

Attorney General Brad Schimel announced plans today for a second round of grant funding by utilizing the approximately $45 million in remaining school safety money available. The second round of funding will focus on advanced initiatives to bolster student mental health, the creation of local School Safety Intervention teams, and additional physical security upgrades.

K-12 schools, both public and private, are encouraged to apply for the next round of grants, which will be awarded starting in October. Attorney General Schimel also announced today a list of 67 schools and school districts that combined will receive $4,912,591 from the first round of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) School Safety Grant program.

“In the first round of grant funding, schools and law enforcement worked fast to identify the greatest security needs in our schools,” said Attorney General Brad Schimel. “After the last grant is awarded, nearly one million children will be safer because they attend schools that received baseline security upgrades and mental health training. But because local partners did such a great job in the first round, we still have $45 million remaining, allowing us to create schools with advanced mental health training and intervention teams, to stop the violence before it happens.”

Schools applying for the second round of grant funding must agree to send 10 percent of full-time teachers and counselors to DOJ-approved 12-hour Adolescent Mental Health training by August 31, 2020, and schools may use grant funds to pay expenses incurred (tuition, travel, lodging, meals, substitute teacher pay, etc.). Schools applying must also establish a School Safety Intervention Team (SSIT), based on a model set by the U.S. Secret Service, which will engage in behavior monitoring, threat assessments, and intervention. Funding will also be available for more physical security improvements.

“Our children are one of our most precious resource. Attorney General Schimel and Governor Walker understand that. The ability to have some funding and support for our schools to work with us in law enforcement helps create a safer learning environment for our children and teachers,” said Menomonee Falls Police Chief Anna Ruzinksi.

Highlights from the school safety grant applications[1] being awarded on July 24 from the first round of grant funding include such improvements as:

• Training for all staff on Trauma Informed Care (TIC), Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS), Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), Peaceful Warriors, PREPaRE, Threat Assessment and Active Shooter Response training (ALICE);
• Secure the entry areas, sidelites, and interior classroom windows with shatter resistant film, updated doors and locks;
• Engage CESA 10 support for project and safety plan updating and implementation;
• Install door position monitors, external and internal security cameras;
• Enhance emergency communications among staff and 911 dispatchers; two-way radio and two-way hallway mirrors;
• Allow for the remodeling of entrances and vestibule/visitor holding;
• Purchase and utilize the STOPit anonymous reporting system.

“We would like to extend our sincere ‘thank you’ to all that were involved in this process,” stated Kaukauna School District Superintendent Mark Duerwaechter. “These upgrades will be welcome additions to the regular work already being done in all of our buildings to ensure the safety of our students.”