Northern Lehigh to use $365K in grants for security upgrades, equipment

Northern Lehigh School District is set to receive $365,679 it will use toward security upgrades, equipment, planning, training and staff.

The office of Rep. Zach Mako, R-Lehigh/Northampton, announced on Wednesday that the committee has awarded more than $860,000 in school safety and security grants to school districts in the 183rd Legislative District.

Northern Lehigh Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tania Stoker said the grant will enable the district to make “significant safety and security improvements, as well as implement and augment mental health program offerings.”

“For example, with regard to our facilities, we will be able to add additional surveillance cameras, window film, fencing and signage,” Stoker said. “For potential emergency situations, we will have additional AEDs, trauma kits, escape ladders and evacuation chairs in our buildings. We will be able to train and implement restorative practices programs, increase trainings for ALICE, Student Assistant Program, crisis prevention and intervention, trauma informed schools, suicide prevention and awareness, and specific training for our school police officers. As outreach, we will be offering car seat checks and other programs to extend the impact of the grant into our community.”

Superintendent Matt Link credited Stoker for leading the grant application process.

“We were notified (Wednesday) that were are a recipient to the largest amount of funding in Lehigh County,” Link said. Dr. Stoker has taken grant writing to the next (level) since she joined NLSD, and we are very fortunate to have her as part of our districtwide leadership team.”

The 17-member committee within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency was created as part of Act 44 of 2018, a comprehensive school safety law passed in 2018. One of its duties is to help distribute both meritorious and competitive grants. This year’s grants total $53.7 million statewide.