The state of Missouri is awarding a $249,272 School Safety Grant to the Ray-Pec School District.
On Monday, Oct. 2, Gov. Mike Parson announced that Ray-Pec is one of 566 grant recipients selected in the second round of funding for the School Safety Grant Program. The grant opportunity was announced last June, when Gov. Parson signed a bill appropriating $50 million for a second round of grants to support physical safety improvements in schools across the state. See a list of all schools receiving a grant in Round II.
The Ray-Pec School District will use the funds to cover part of the expense of adding an additional layer of school security in the form of access control.
Currently, an Aiphone is in place inside the vestibule at each location. With help from the grant funds, the District plans to install another Aiphone at the exterior of each school and the Administrative Services Center. The second Aiphone will require visitors to present identification and provide rationale to gain access to the vestibule, where they will be face-to-face with front office staff before being granted access to the building.
Stonegate Elementary School is the first school to have the Aiphone installed, and all buildings will be equipped by January of 2024.
Read the state's press release: Governor Parson Announces Recipients of Second Round of New School Safety Grant Program