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State Awards Security Grants to Alleghany, Covington Schools
$171,000 Total For Both School Divisions

 
Covington, VA (Jan. 7, 2021) - The Virginia Department of Education has awarded Alleghany County and Covington City schools security equipment grants totaling $171,999.

The grants will go toward protecting students, faculty, and visitors in the two school divisions, which are scheduled to merge on July 1.

Alleghany County schools were awarded a $91,999 grant. The grant will fund security equipment for all schools in the county.

Covington City Schools were awarded an $80,000 grant for Covington High School.

In all, the Virginia Department of Education is awarding $12 million in School Security Equipment Grants to 583 schools in 93 school divisions. The grants will pay for video monitoring systems, voice and video internal communications systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notification systems, visitor-identification systems, access control systems, two-way radios, security vestibules, and other security upgrades.

In Alleghany County schools, the $91,999 grant will be used to fund improvements to bus security cameras.

“We are so grateful to the Commonwealth of Virginia for providing additional funding for these important infrastructure updates that will bring us all additional piece of mind,” said Alleghany County Superintendent Kim Halterman.

Covington City Schools will use its $80,000 grant for upgrades to interior door locking mechanisms at Covington High School.

“School security and safety remains a top priority for Covington City Public Schools. The award from the Virginia Department of Education allows us to continue necessary upgrades to our physical plant at Covington High School,” said Covington City Schools Superintendent Melinda Snead-Johnson.

The criteria for making the awards — developed by the Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services — give priority to schools most in need of modern security equipment.

The Alleghany County and Covington City school boards approved the filing of the grant applications last year. The Virginia Department of Education announced the list of grant recipients on Dec. 30.

The two divisions will merge on July 1, creating Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The merger is being designed to enhance educational opportunities for students in Alleghany County, Covington, Clifton Forge, and Iron Gate, at a more efficient cost to taxpayers.

 
 
 

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