Dover Schools receive state funding for safety upgrades

DOVER ― Dover City Schools has been awarded nearly $90,000 by the state of Ohio to help pay for security upgrades that enhance the safety of students and staff at four of its buildings.

More than 1,100 schools in 81 counties will receive nearly $47 million in grant funding as part of Gov. Mike DeWine's Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program.

The local awards include:

• $20,360.52 for Dover Avenue Elementary.

• $7,497.45 for Dover Middle School.

• $27,194.68 for East Elementary.

• $34,905.89 for South Elementary.

Seth Corder, assistant superintendent, and Chad Schie, director of safety and operations, and Justin Marshall, technology coordinator, wrote the competitive grant for the district.

"For Dover, the grants are being used to upgrade our entry and exit systems for schools needing to transition to keyless entry for upgraded security access," said Superintendent Karie McCrate.  "The intent is to improve access for staff members, first responders and support students and adults with disabilities in entering the buildings, as well as in the event of an emergency that would require quick entrance, evacuation or emergency response."

In addition, funds were awarded for technology upgrades that will improve the safety and security of the district's network from cyber attacks.

"Like it is for all organizations, cybersecurity is also a real safety and security issue," McCrate said.  "We work hard to provide high-level cyber security to minimize breaches and potential access to personally identifiable information within our schools."

Dover was not awarded on its application for the high school, but the superintendent said it looks like the district will receive those funds in the next round of allocations.

DeWine first launched the K-12 School Safety Grant Program in 2021 with an appropriation of $5 million in Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly, which was awarded in May to 98 schools in 27 counties. This year, the governor and legislature partnered to increase the grant program by an additional $100 million with support from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The 1,183 schools selected to receive funding each applied for but did not receive funds as part of the initial $5 million in grant awards.

The Ohio School Safety Center, in partnership with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, will begin accepting applications in the coming weeks for the $53 million in funds remaining in the K-12 School Safety Grant Program. Schools that have not yet applied for funding or whose applications were ineligible in previous rounds will be given first priority.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dover City Schools has received a grant from the state for security upgrades.