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Nelson County Schools wins federal safety grant; district gets additional mental-health funding and a possible DJJ partnership
Summary
District staff announced a federal COPS SVPP safety grant for exterior door access and other safety supports, a $560,000 Department of Education addition for school-based mental health, and potential recurring funds tied to a Department for Juvenile Justice partnership for the district's Thrive Academy.
Nelson County Schools announced multiple funding wins and a potential state partnership at the board meeting.
Dr. Sherhorn told the board the district was awarded the 2025 COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grant, a federal award “a little over $400,000” that includes a local match. The district plans to use the grant to install a unified SALTO badge access system on exterior doors and to support safety staff positions the grant allows, Dr. Sherhorn said.
The board voted to accept the COPS SVPP grant at the meeting. The vote followed a standard motion-and-second procedure; board members voted in favor and the motion passed.
Separately, the district reported it received an additional $560,000 from the U.S. Department of Education for its school-based mental-health program. Superintendent Bridal said the money was awarded in the last month in recognition of the district's work; that award did not require an additional acceptance vote because board approval had been completed earlier.
Stacy Holderman, who directs the district's Thrive Academy day-treatment services, told the board that the Kentucky Department for Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has expressed interest in partnering with the district. Holderman said a DJJ partnership typically brings an approximate recurring payment of $73,000 per year and other program benefits, including eligibility for roughly $25,000 in additional Title I funds and, in later years, Tech Sec funding. Holderman said the district designed Thrive Academy with DJJ requirements in mind and is already meeting many standards the agency expects.
Holderman said the DJJ partnership would bring credibility and funding stability but noted the agreement is detailed and that staff had reviewed the contract closely. The board approved the DJJ agreement as presented at the meeting.
Also at the meeting, Felicia Flanagan, director of the district's Thrive care clinics, summarized the clinics' work: they provide free registered-nurse and nurse-practitioner services to students, logged about 30,800 student visits last year, and reported that 94% of students seen in the clinics returned to class after care. Flanagan clarified the clinics do not administer routine immunizations; she said immunization compliance is recorded in accordance with state law, and that the district previously hosted an optional on-campus flu clinic with parental consent (about 4.7% of students and 24% of staff participated).
Board members congratulated staff on the awards and directed administrators to continue work implementing the grant projects and program agreements.
