TCN applying for grants

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LEWISBURG — Tri-County North Local School District is working to secure grants for school safety purposes.

During the TCN Board of Education meeting on Monday, Jan. 28, Superintendent Bill Derringer reported on three grants the district is interested in.

According to Superintendent Derringer, the district submitted an application for the Bureau of Workers Compensation School Safety and Security Grant. If awarded, this grant will be used for new key card readers for the outside doors, as well as bullet-resistant window tint for all first level doors and windows.

“They told us that the decision could take up to 16 weeks to get that approved. We’re playing the waiting game now. If we can get that, it is our intention to swap out the locks on all the outside doors and put in a card reader system, where we give our staff and coaches an ID card and that card will also be their key. Basically, every one of our staff members will have a key,” Derringer said.

“Something else that grant could provide for us, is the bullet-resistant glass. There is a film that can go over the inside of all the doors and windows of the downstairs, including the cafeteria. If we insert this film over the door, and somebody tries to break down that glass, even shoot through that, and they are still not going to be able to knock that glass out of the windows. If we can get that paid for through this grant money, I think that will be wonderful.”

There is another Safety Grant through the Bureau of Workers Compensation the district is interested in which would be used to obtain a new scissor lift.

“We have a one-man lift that we have been using for 15-20 years, it is not a very good lift to be honest,” Derringer said. “There are multiple uses that we could use a scissor lift. Depending on which one you get, they are anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 for a new scissor lift. That grant would be like a three to one match. If we can get 75 percent of that paid for by grant money, that is obviously something we are looking for as well.”

The last grant would be a collaboration with the Village of Lewisburg — the Safe Routes to School Grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). This grant would be used to update crosswalks, flashing lights, and street lights in front of the school.

“I’m meeting with Jeff Sewert, our Village of Lewisburg Municipal Manager, and a representative from ODOT, and a representative for the Safe Routes to School Grant. Basically, we’re looking at upgrading the lighting out across the street from the school and also we’re looking at updating some crosswalks,” Derringer said. “They do have all kinds of different things we’re going to explore.

“These Safe Routes to School Grants, they talk about replacing sidewalks and there is a lot of money out there for something like this. It is pretty extensive in the application and it is a tedious process, but again, if we can put in new crosswalks and lighting, that is going to help protect our kids when they are trying to cross.”

By Kelsey Kimbler

[email protected]

Reach Kelsey Kimbler at 937-683-4061 or on Twitter @KKimbler_RH

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