Nov 18, 2020 2 min read

Ringgold and Washington school districts are among the Pennsylvania schools that will receive a portion of the more than $9 million in competitive grants awarded by the state Department of Education’s Safe Schools Targeted Grants program.

Grants are awarded to schools to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

Ringgold received a $25,000 equipment grant, while Washington School District was awarded a $24,990 grant.

Ringgold School District was also awarded a $20,000 program grant intended to support programs that promote an environment of greater productivity, safety and learning and enhance anti-violence efforts involving schools and parents, local governments, law enforcement and community organizations.

Ringgold and Washington school districts each received $40,000 as part of the Safe Schools School Police Officer Grant Program, and Ringgold received a $60,000 grant for the School Resource Officer Grant Program, which provide financial assistance for the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers over a two-year period.

The grant program provides school safety funding to nonpublic schools also. Madonna Catholic Regional School (Intermediate Unit 1) was awarded nearly $10,000 for equipment to boost school safety.

“Although the learning environment has shifted for students, educators and families, the importance of maintaining safe school communities has not changed,” acting Education Secretary Noe Ortega said. “The Safe Schools Targeted Grant program provides schools with resources to create, support, and enhance programs that address the current needs of school communities, such as creating trauma-informed practices and developing equity and inclusion methods.”