Over $500,000 will be put toward security initiatives in Oxford Schools thanks to a grant from the Michigan State Police (MSP).

At the April 9 board of education meeting, Superintendent Tim Throne announced the district had received a $442,773 reimbursement grant from the MSP. As part of the grant, the district must match 25 percent, which comes to $110,693. The district is expected to spend up to $553,466 for security.

“It’s really going to help out all of our buildings and we are really excited to put this money to good use,” Throne said.

The district was notified of the award on March 26 through a letter from Nancy Becker Bennett, the division director for MSP’s Grants and Community Services Division. The letter states that MSP received over $46 million in requests from 366 applicants this year, and Oxford was among the 230 applicants chosen for funding.

The applications were selected by a review committee of professionals from MSP, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Sheriff’s Association, Michigan Dept. of Education, Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools and School Safety Professionals.

These new funds came as a happy surprise to the district, which applied for but did not receive this grant in 2018.

“They really focused on districts in the state that didn’t receive funding in 2018,” Sam Barna, the district’s assistant superintendent of business operations, later told this reporter. “I think that they gave preference to those that didn’t receive funding and, obviously, we fell into that category.”

Barna said the money will primarily be used to acquire PrePlanLive panic buttons and emergency kits, bollards at the high school, 3M window film for select locations in each building and re-keying for each building. The PrePlanLive additions will take up the bulk of the funds.

“There (are) panic buttons that we will be purchasing and installing in wall-mounted, clear plastic boxes in each class room and in many rooms within our school district,” Barna said.

The wall-mounted boxes will contain tourniquet and safety kits along with the panic button. Should an active-shooter situation or emergency occur, the press of a panic button would alert local officials of the presser’s exact location in a building.

“Even the simplest dialing of  9-1-1, people can’t do (in emergencies) because it’s a stressful situation,” Barna said. “So, these panic buttons are trying to make it much easier to notify those within and outside of the district that there is a situation going on… I think it’s a huge benefit to have these panic buttons within each classroom in the district.”

Throne said at the meeting the funds will not exhaust the district’s list of needs in security, but will make a big dent.

At the meeting, trustees were thankful Oxford was chosen for the funds this time around. Barna later echoed that sentiment, saying he appreciates that MSP is investing in the safety of students around the state.

“I’m excited to see what we’re going to do with over $400,000 worth of money for safety,” Trustee Erick Foster said. “That’s great. That’s one of those things we should really be proud of ourselves for… I think a lot of good things are going to come of it.”

The district has until May 8 to return a grant agreement to the state and has until June 1, 2020 to spend the funds.

The board of education is scheduled to meet again on April 23 at Oxford High School. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m.