Feedback from Manitou Springs School District 14
April 2025
"MSSD14 is very fortunate to receive the SSD grant funding to purchase and install new cameras at Manitou Springs Middle School. The previous camera system was very antiquated, not reliable and it was very hard to review video footage.
In addition to regular cameras we also purchased a License Plate reader camera for the campus. The new cameras also had audible capability which helped us particularly when investigating bullying complaints. The LPR cameras were instrumental in helping us protect children who were protected parties in court orders and restraining orders. We would enter the license plate of the restrained party and if that person drove onto campus we would get notifications immediately on our phones.
In general my security officers monitor cameras regularly to monitor our campus. As you know the cost of cameras is very expensive but the cameras are necessary to help us protect our staff and students. Without receiving this grant funding, we would not have been able to upgrade the camera system."
Feedback from Elizabeth School District
March 2025
"The Elizabeth School District utilized the 2024 SAFER grant to address critical communication gaps, particularly within the Transportation Department, which previously relied on an outdated and unreliable radio system prone to dead zones across Elbert County. Through the grant, the district replaced the antiquated system with Kenwood P25 mobile radios in 35 transportation vehicles, ensuring seamless communication between drivers, district staff, and the main transportation hub. These radios now provide reliable coverage across the state and include Over The Air Programming (OTAP) capabilities, allowing for easy updates to channels and features to improve interoperability with first responders.
Additionally, the grant funded P25 portable radios for district leaders, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively in their leadership roles. This investment not only strengthened internal communications but also bolstered emergency preparedness and response capabilities, benefiting both the district and the broader community."
Feedback from Denver Public Schools
February 2025
“Denver Public Schools uses funding to expand access to quality interventions for students. Funding from the SSD grant has made implementing tier 2 and 3 small group interventions easier for Denver Public School (DPS) staff by removing the barriers to accessing the materials needed to implement these interventions. Previously, school mental health staff faced the challenge of having to check out materials from the DPS curriculum library which meant leaving their school sites to drive across town to gather the necessary materials for these interventions. Providing each school with their own curriculum set has streamlined the implementation of these interventions and allowed more students to receive these services.
Additionally, DPS has expanded access to the CBITS and Bounce Back interventions for students experiencing trauma. This has been achieved by training additional staff as Trainers of Trainers (TOTs), ensuring that high-quality training is available for school mental health providers to effectively deliver these programs in our schools."
Feedback from St. Vrain Valley School District
January 2025
“The St. Vrain Valley School District takes a comprehensive, all-hazards approach to school safety. When evaluating school safety solutions, St. Vrain evaluates the various ways a particular product or service addresses known or potential hazards. Through the School Safety Disbursement Grant, we were able to provide enhanced protective solutions for school windows. Keeping true to our all-hazards approach, this solution allowed our schools to be more energy efficient, reduce UV exposure, and protect the occupants in a variety of natural and human-caused events.
The School Safety Disbursement Grant provided us an opportunity to test these safety upgrades and evaluate their effectiveness prior to moving forward with a district-wide initiative to improve safety across all of our schools. Because St. Vrain was able to test the enhancements on a small scale at a few schools, the district was ready to scale the improvements district-wide in its November 2024 bond package, which passed overwhelmingly. As a result, the grant had a broad impact far beyond the schools it directly supported, enhancing school safety for every student in St. Vrain.”
Feedback from Weld RE-5J Johnstown Milliken
December 2024
“Regarding the School Security Disbursement Grant 2024, Weld RE5J set out to improve district-wide interoperability. This grant allowed us to purchase radios and repeaters to enhance current coverage on school properties. In addition, it allowed us to reach multiple schools and the administration team at the administration building when emergencies arise.
While a simple process, and relatively few hiccups along the way, the most difficult struggle was implementation and providing a policy standard practice on the operations and the context of the use of these radios.
Still an easy prospect, just needed to keep people on the point and direct them back if they strayed from the route established. Overall, this grant afforded the district a chance to have better communication when emergencies arise. We strive to push the bar for the safety and security of our schools and are proud we were able to use the Office of School Safety as a partner to achieve our highest priority goals for this grant.”
Feedback from the Superintendent at Sanford School District
November 2024
“I want to thank you guys for working with us on this grant! I just have to report that last Thursday we had a scenario that the new cameras were vital to our investigation. The previous would not have been helpful but the new ones we purchased with the grant very well may have saved a life. Their high resolution provided the view we needed and we had concrete evidence that helped us sort out the issue. Thanks again! We really appreciate it!”
Share Your Success - Be Featured in The Grants Corner of the OSS E-Update!
We want to celebrate your achievements! If you've had success with any of our grants, share your story with us. Submit a short narrative detailing your project's impact, and you could be featured in our upcoming E-Update. Photos welcome. Your success inspires others—let's showcase the incredible work happening in our schools!
Thank you,
OSS Grants Unit