Central Virginia schools receive over $2.4 million in security equipment grants

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Central Virginia schools are receiving $2.48 million to fund in-state School Security Equipment Grants to protect students, faculty and visitors.

The grants will pay for voice and video internal communication systems, mass notification systems, security card access systems, visitor ID badging systems, surveillance cameras, two-way radios, security vestibules, interior school bus cameras, two-way radios for buses and other security enhancements.

The Virginia Department of Education announced Thursday a total of $12 million was granted to schools that needed updated security and safety equipment.

VDOE and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services developed the criteria to award the grants. Priority is given to schools most in need of modern security equipment, schools with relatively high numbers of offenses, schools with outdated equipment identified by a school security audit and schools in divisions least able to afford security upgrades.

Schools receiving funding in Central Virginia are the following:

Amelia County

$46,302 for Amelia County High & Amelia County Middle

Caroline County

$23,644 for Caroline High

Colonial Heights

$62,584 for Colonial Heights Middle, Lakeview Elementary and North Elementary

Cumberland County

$18,796 for Cumberland Elementary and Cumberland Middle

Dinwiddie County

$192,743 for Dinwiddie County High and Dinwiddie Elementary

Essex County

$210,281 for Essex High

Henrico County

$49,134 for Chamberlayne Elementary, Charles M. Johnson Elementary, Crestview Elementary, Glen Lea Elementary, Pinchbeck Elementary, R.C. Longan Elementary, Seven Pines Elementary and Skipwith Elementary.

Hopewell

$250,000 for Carter G. Woodson Middle, Dupont Elementary, Harry E. James Elementary, Hopewell High, Patrick Copeland Elementary and Woodlawn Pre-School Learning Center.

King William County

$57,803 for Hamilton Holmes Middle.

King and Queen County

$17,560 for Central High and Lawson-Marriott Elementary.

Lunenburg County

$169,600 for Kenbridge Elementary, Lunenburg Middle and Victoria Elementary.

Middlesex County

$95,200 for Middlesex High.

New Kent County

$47,422 for New Kent Middle

Nottoway County

$47,422 for New Kent Middle.mary, Crewe Primary, Nottoway High, Nottoway Intermediate and Nottoway Middle.

Orange County

$62,408 for Locust Grove Primary and Prospect Heights Middle.

Petersburg

$196,581 for Cool Spring Elementary, Lakemont Elementary, Petersburg High, Pleasants Lane Elementary, Vernon Johns Middle, Walnut Hill Elementary and Westview Early Childhood Education Center.