VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) More than 400 schools across Indiana will receive funding from the Secured Schools Safety Grant program, including schools right here at home.
The Vigo County School Corporation and the Saint Patrick School of Terre Haute Deanery will see a chunk of the money that is meant to help increase safety and security in schools.
VCSC will receive $99,945 and the Saint Patrick School will receive $34,320.
Dr. Tom Balitewicz, director of student services for VCSC, said they apply for this grant every year. This year, the money will go toward replacing and updating communication devices and radios.
“It is a radio that communicates with law enforcement so they can hear different things that are going on within law enforcement and they can also communicate with law enforcement, so it’s a direct connection with [them],” Dr. Balitewicz said.
He said each school within the corporation will receive one of these radios.
Dr. Balitewicz adds they will also be replacing their “walkie-talkie’s” that the faculty use daily to communicate within the schools.
To make sure all of these devices work correctly, he said VCSC will be installing “repeater” devices at Terre Haute North and West Vigo High Schools. One was recently installed at Terre Haute South.
“When a radio like this is used, if it’s a large facility, has a large footprint, they’re a lot of concrete walls and steel, oftentimes we’ll need a repeater device for them to work effectively,” Dr. Balitewicz said.
Corrine Cuffle, principal of Saint Patrick School, said they are hoping to use the funds to expand the camera system on campus.
“We have limited cameras on the exterior of our building and we would like to use part of this funding for adding new cameras inside and outside on our campus,” Cuffle said.
She also mentioned the school is hoping to better secure the playgrounds.
“We are also going to look into fencing for our playground. We definitely need a new fence but we also want some privacy so we’re going to add a privacy fence,” Cuffle said.
The Holy Cross School in Vigo County will also receive $20,000.
