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The Moffat County School District currently has stake in four grants totaling up to $490,383 for district programs, traffic safety and security upgrades.

District administrators are aiming to make programs funded by these grants last throughout the long term.

"One of the things we want to do with all of these grants is to build some sustainability," Assistant Superintendent Christine Villard said at the Moffat County School Board's monthly meeting Thursday night. "It's a lot of money really quick, so we're being very : thoughtful" to develop lasting programs.

Most grants already have been awarded, including one for its Incredible Years Parent Program.

A similar program is in place for district preschool students. Using a $50,000 grant from Social Services, district administrators plan to extend the program to parents of older children.

The program is planned to work with 15 families of children ages three to 10. The target group includes a variety of students, including those who are at high risk for school failure, are in families where substance abuse or violence are prevalent, or who have delayed social or emotional development.

A $60,000 grant will fund another district program to reduce school failure and truancy in sixth- through 12-graders. The grant sum will cover salaries for two family support liaisons and any incentives for parents or students they see fit to use.

Funds come from Colorado Works, the state's welfare program.

Finally, the school district, the city and the Craig Police Department partnered to request a $130,383 grant for security upgrades at all district buildings.

The district offered $130,400 as a match for the federally funded COPS grant. With it, district officials plan to purchase 26 exterior security cameras, 31 interior security cameras, 30 portable radios and visitor identification scanners, among other tools.

Funds from the grant were made available for use Oct. 11.

Using the grant funds, the city will reimburse the school district for security expenditures.

One grant, however, is pending.

On Dec. 14, district officials plan to submit a grant request to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Its purpose is to make traveling to and from school safer for students.

The district has "about three or four different places where we think we could significantly increase student safety in terms of walking and/or riding a bike to school," District Finance Director Mark Rydberg said at Thursday's board meeting.

Those areas include sections of Colorado Highway 13, Ninth Street and Victory Way, which students frequently use to get to school.

The grant award could range from $50,000 to $250,000 and would be used to improve traffic safety measures along these routes and have a CDOT traffic engineer conduct a traffic safety evaluation in the district.

The last assessment conducted in school district areas took place in 1997, according to the district.

If awarded, the district will receive the grant in mid-April.