Beaver Dam Among Districts Receiving School Safety Grant

(Beaver Dam) Several Dodge County schools were awarded grants through the Wisconsin Department of Justice School Safety Grant program. Beaver Dam, Columbus, Horicon, Hustisford, Marshall, Waterloo and Waupun are part of 263 other districts that will receive $21-million dollars in combined funding. Over the summer months, dozens of Wisconsin schools received money in round one funding to address security upgrades. The second round of funding aims to bolster student mental health. Attorney General Brad Schimel says that he is proud that their school safety work is being nationally recognized. He added that with the additional grant dollars the state gains another tool to help students, teachers and law enforcement prevent violent acts before they occur and improve the safety of schools. In order to qualify for the second-round funds, applicants must agree to send 10-percent of full-time teachers and counselors to a DOJ-approved adolescent mental health training. Appling districts must also establish school safety intervention teams based on a model set by the U.S. Secret Service which will engage behavior monitoring and threat assessments. Beaver Dam is receiving $194-thousand dollars; Columbus is getting $74-thousand dollars; Horicon is slated to pick-up $38-thousand; Hustisford is being awarded $18-thousand dollars; Marshall is in-line to receive $58-thousand dollars; Waterloo will get $44-thousand and Waupun will receive $113-thousand dollars.

Beaver Dam School Superintendent Mark DiStefano discusses the grant award: