Woodbridge Schools Get $776,731 To Install Silent Panic Alarms

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Woodbridge school district is slated to receive more than $700,000 from the state Department of Education to install silent panic alarms and other devices in school buildings, all in the name of preparing for a school shooting or other dangerous event.

The funding was announced May 28 by Gov. Phil Murphy's administration. It is now required by state law passed under Murphy that every school in the state of New Jersey have these silent alarms.

Woodbridge's newly minted school superintendent, Dr. Joe Massimino, confirmed the district was getting the funding, but said details are not available yet.

"We are still working through many of the details," Dr. Massimino said Wednesday of this week.

Woodbridge will receive $776,731 to install silent panic alarms and other school security upgrades.

Those upgrades can include exterior lighting improvements, surveillance cameras installed in school buildings and classrooms, intercoms, remote locking/unlocking doors, shatter-resistant glass, signage improvements, generator installation and impact-rated vehicle barriers.

Woodbridge schools will definitely get the silent alarms, as that is required by law. It remains to be seen which of those above will be implemented.

This is money given out to New Jersey school districts under Alyssa's Law, which provides taxpayer funding to equip public and secondary schools with panic alarms. These alarms can directly and silently notify the police if there is a danger or emergency situation happening in the classroom.

The law is named for Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old girl who lived with her family Woodcliff Lake before they moved to Parkland, Florida.

On Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 2018, Alyssa was one of the 17 people killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. She was killed at the age of 14. Her family worked with North Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer (Democrat) and state legislators to pass legislation that will now require all New Jersey schools have the silent alarms.

Many nearby school districts were in the first round of funding for the silent alarms, including Sayreville, Perth Amboy, Old Bridge and Piscataway schools.

With 26 schools and more than 13,000 students, Woodbridge is one of the biggest school systems in the state of New Jersey.

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