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The district plans to enhance entryways, upgrade barriers and purchase updated security technology in three Gaylord elementary schools.
The work is expected to be completed before the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Gaylord Community Schools (GCS) in Gaylord, Michigan, is planning to work on the entrances of three of its buildings this summer to improve school security.
The district was awarded $612,000 in September by the state’s Competitive School Safety Grant Program and the money will be used for the upgrades, reports the Gaylord Herald Times.
Brian Pearson, GCS Superintendent, said the upgrades will go to North Ohio Elementary School (NOE), South Maple Elementary School (SME) and Gaylord Middle School (GMS). He added that the plan is to enhance entryways, upgrade barriers and purchase updated security technology.
The work is expected to be completed before the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
“The modifications are safety related and will include moving the main offices at NOE and SME to the building entry point,” Pearson said. “Moving the offices to the front of the building will make it easier for office personnel to monitor the entrance.”
Pearson said at a March meeting that the Gaylord board of education approved bids of nearly $711,000 and Gaylord’s grant allocation was the sixth largest in the state.
The board approved bids from:
North Central Excavating Nickel Masonry Hardwood Hills Construction Cedar Valley Cabinets Universal Roofing Sugar Construction Nixon Carpet Metal Arts Construction Bulldog Painting Custom Engineering JP Heating of Northern Michigan Chuck’s Electric“The funds from this grant will assist in keeping our campus a safe place to learn and work,” he said.
“Receiving this grant supports the district’s commitment to keeping our campus safe,” Pearson said. “Gaylord Community Schools presently has a district safety committee, district safety director and school resource officer. School safety serves as the foundation for quality teaching and learning.”
In total, 188 schools were awarded grants.
About the Author
Katie Malafronte, Web Editor
Katie Malafronte is Campus Safety's Web Editor. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Writing & Rhetoric. Katie has been CS's Web Editor since 2018.
