Teaneck Awarded $500K School Safety Grant

TEANECK, NJ — Recently, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Josh Gottheimer announced $500,000 in federal grant money was awarded to Teaneck Public Schools.

According to the district, that grant money will be used to improve security measures and upgrade security technology throughout the district.

"Creating a safe learning environment for our students and staff is a top priority in our school district," said Superintendent of Schools Christopher Irving. "This grant will enable us to improve the overall safety, security and health of our schools by upgrading and installing 21st century equipment."

The grant was administered through the Justice Department’s School Violence Prevention Program, which was enacted by Congress in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in 2018.

"We continue to see far too many heartbreaking tragedies take place in our nation's schools. This federal investment being clawed back from Washington to help Teaneck is a vital step to keeping our students and faculty safe on school grounds, protecting our children against gun violence, supporting Teaneck's law enforcement as they work day in and day out to protect the community, and helping them do their job safely and effectively," said Gottheimer.

Teaneck will use this award to upgrade and install card access control devices, CCTV monitoring cameras, building alarms, and visitor management systems.

The grant comes at a time when districts across the state face tightening budgets amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pascrell, as well as Teaneck Public Schools, say this grant will help ease some of that stress when it comes to funding school safety initiatives.

"We fought hard to secure this funding and I am thrilled the Teaneck School District received this award because it will help protect our students and teachers," said Pascrell, who himself is a former history teacher.

"Students should be able to focus on history and mathematics without fearing for their safety."