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David Ulrich: MCSD acquires another successful grant

David Ulrich/For Craig Press
David Ulrich
Courtesy photo

I am very excited to announce that Moffat County School District has secured $103,500 from a state matching grant to increase safety and security for our students and staff!

In December, MCSD Director of Finance John Wall and Director of Maintenance Jarrod Ogden submitted a grant to upgrade radio communications throughout the district and replace interior door hardware at Sandrock Elementary and Moffat County High School. The grant is called the School Security Disbursement Grant and was authorized in 2018 by the Colorado Legislature (SB18-269.) The district will match the amount of the grant for the total of $207,000 for the projects.

The new system will replace the current radios, which are based on outdated VHF, or very high frequency, technology. The VHF analog system was once a multi-site network but has since been abandoned by its original stakeholders in favor of the statewide digital radio systems. As a result, the old VHF radio system has been reduced to point-to point-contact. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain consistent radio communication between district facilities and buses. Of greatest concern however, is the inability to communicate with first responders in an efficient manner.

The new radios and access to the state system will allow for effective communication among district personnel at different school and sites throughout the district and will greatly improve the range and clarity of communication for our buses. Finally, the new system will allow us to interact quickly and clearly with local law enforcement and other first responders.

The hardware to be replaced will complete the district’s transition to classroom door locks and handles that meet compliance with state school safety regulations. This equipment will allow doors to be locked from both inside and outside. This ability for staff to lock classrooms and entryways from the inside reduces risks involved in security situations. Currently, these locks are in place in our other schools.

The MCSD Strategic Plan includes a focus area titled, “Fiscal Management.” The focus area statement reads, “We will ensure the fiscal health of Moffat County Schools.”

During the first two years of the Strategic Plan, MCSD was awarded an Early Literacy Grant. The three-year grant is covering the cost of reading resource for grades K through 3, providing consistent, job-embedded professional development and providing two full-time literacy coaches.

The new materials have regularly provided all students with extensive opportunities to work with and meet grade-level standards. Resources include extensions and more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level. The total amount awarded to the district will total nearly $1 million.

Also, MCSD was awarded an “Expelled and At-risk Student Services, or EARSS, grant program. The EARSS grant is assisting MCHS in providing educational and support services to expelled students, students at-risk of suspension and expulsion, and students at-risk of habitual truancy as defined by unexcused absences. The grant is funded for four years, and the total amount of support the district will receive is more than $1 million.

At MCSD, we will continue to maximize the resources we receive from our community to ensure we are able to live our mission statement to “educate and inspire students to thrive in an environment of change!

David Ulrich is superintendent of Moffat County School District.


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