Radford schools win VDOE safety grant; funds to upgrade bus radios and high‑school cameras
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Summary
The board was told the division received a Virginia Department of Education school safety grant — more than $209,000 — to improve bus radio communication with dispatch and to upgrade surveillance cameras at the high school with IP units and AI‑enabled features.
Radford City Schools will use a Virginia Department of Education school safety grant to upgrade bus communications and high‑school camera systems, district staff told the board.
Transportation supervisor Mr. Graham said the division received "over $209,000" from the VDOE for safety improvements. A major portion of the grant will purchase an upgraded radio system to keep school buses in constant contact with dispatch at the police department so drivers can report route emergencies without relying on cellular calls.
Mr. Graham also said the district plans to replace an older analog camera system at the high school with 119 IP cameras. The replacement plan includes software with advanced analytics — the presenter noted features such as automated tracking across cameras and the ability to read license plates at exterior cameras — and said installation would be completed before the next summer cycle. "This went bad in other locations, but companies are still starting to work their bugs out," Graham said of early AI camera deployments; he added the division is aware of limitations and will monitor performance.
Board members asked for clarifications about privacy, vendor testing and timeline. District staff said the procurement and installation will proceed with vendor testing, and that the system will be used to strengthen real‑time situational awareness on buses and at the high school.
