The Mercury, Pottstown, Pa.
BOYERTOWN, Pa. — A $525,607 grant was recently presented to the Boyertown Area School District for school safety and mental health supports for students and staff.
This grant is part of $47 million awarded to schools across the Pennsylvania that was approved by the School Safety and Security Committee under the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. It completed the $155 million school safety grants program package appropriated in the bipartisan 2023-24 budget and issued by the SSSC in January 2024.
The school district will use just under $45,000 to fund equipment that will further enhance security monitoring systems across the district, according to a press release from state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, R-24th Dist.
Additionally, $297,000 will be used to fund two police officers who will provide additional coverage at Boyertown High school, which has approximately 2,200 students, and funds another officer to support the remaining school buildings without full time police coverage. In addition, the district will install concrete barriers for additional security at locations identified as part of physical security assessments of its buildings.
School officials also stated that $182,000 is to be used for school mental health programming for students. The district plans to fund an expansion of social worker services district-wide, as well as a drug and alcohol counselor. Implementation of the planned enhancements and new programming is set to begin immediately, according to Pennycuick’s office.
A large ceremonial check was presented at the Aug. 27 school board meeting. Present for the check presentation, in addition to Pennycuick, were state Rep. David Maloney, R-130th Dist., state Rep. Donna Schueren, R-147th Dist. and state Rep. Mark Gillen, R-128th Dist.
“I was proud to celebrate this grant with the great community at Boyertown Area School District and happy to hear how the funds will be spent. Ever since I was elected to serve on a school board back in 2011, I have been a huge advocate for school resource police officers,” Schueren said in a press release issued by her office on the subject.
“By adding two additional police officers, as well as video monitoring equipment, Boyertown continues to prioritize the safety of students and staff, and that is music to my ears. In addition, they will be able to keep their drug and alcohol counselors currently on staff with this funding, and expand their social services for mental health, giving students avenues to seek support and help they may need,” Schueren said.
“Being a former student from Boyertown and with the generational connection I have to so many families who graduated from and sent their children here, I am hopeful these funds will enhance the safety of our students,” Maloney said in a press release.
“Ensuring our schools are safe places for our kids to learn and grow is critical,” Pennycuick said. “These funds will support enhanced security programs throughout the district, including additional funding for mental health services.”
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