Twenty awardees at Milwaukee area schools received part of $100 million in grant money to be used for school safety upgrades and training.
52 Wisconsin schools are getting funds to improve safety for the upcoming school year.
School staff and students stand alongside local law enforcement and listened on as Attorney General Brad Schimel explained how the Wisconsin Department of Justice School Safety Grant program, isn't done handing out grants to schools in need.
Saint Lucas Lutheran School's future sixth grader Lexi Tipton is among a group of students listening to the Attorney General's speech. She says she understands the importance of her school getting funds for safety.
"If the workers aren't at their desks, like using the bathroom or something, someone could just like break the glass open and come into the school with a weapon," said Tipton.
Gina Brown is the principal for Christ King School and says this grant came at the perfect time.
The administration had already been saving up funds for new safety features like shatterproof glass and cameras. Now they'll use the grant money for those features as well as use their saving for additional security upgrades.
Brown says this grant does more than just help schools physically secure themselves.
"I think [the grant is] a signal that our children and our schools are a priority in the state of Wisconsin," said Brown.
This grant has tied in a mental health component as well. Schools are required to have all of their full time faculty and staff trained in Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma Informed Care before the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
