The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) recently announced $12 million in state School Security Equipment Grants to protect students, faculty and visitors in 489 schools in 102 school divisions.
The grants will pay for video monitoring systems, voice and video internal communications systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notification systems, visitor-identification systems, access control systems, two-way radios, security vestibules and other security upgrades.
Local divisions awarded grants include:
• Gloucester County, $250,000 for Abingdon Elementary, Achilles Elementary, Bethel Elementary, Botetourt Elementary, Gloucester High, Page Middle, Peasley Middle and Petsworth Elementary.
• Lancaster County, $42,672 for Lancaster Primary.
• Mathews County, $38,720 for Lee-Jackson Elementary, Mathews High and Thomas Hunter Middle.
• Middlesex County, $24,920 for Middlesex High.
• Richmond County, $6,075 for Rappahannock High.
A local match of 25% is required of most divisions.
“This year, we have doubled the amount of assistance available to…