For the past eight years, McCord Junior High School Principal Susie Felver has been a member of the Sylvania School District’s Safety and Security Committee. That group, under various leaders, has been applying for and receiving Ohio school safety grants through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for six-plus years.

When Felver learned of an opportunity to pursue a grant, which could have provided $100,000 per school, through the American Rescue Plan, she eagerly applied. Because of the short turn-around time, she only was able to ask for help with Southview and McCord, the two schools with which she was most familiar. That request was turned down last May but Governor Mike DeWine readjusted the applications and Southview and McCord each received a $50,000 grant last August.

Shortly after this award, Felver happened to find and apply for another grant opportunity, the Ohio School Safety Grant Program, through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. With a bit more time and help from the Sylvania Police and Sylvania Township Police departments, she was able to be much more aggressive in her ask.

In November, Felver received word that Sylvania Schools would receive $1,050,000, just $50,000 less than what she had requested. Ten Sylvania schools will be allocated $100,000 and McCord will receive $50,000 to upgrade the security camera systems. “This is such a good thing for the district. Our security cameras are in very bad shape. I am so pleased that this worked out for us,” she said.