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Superintendent seeks $250,000 in security funding and moves to align capital priorities
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Thompson asked the board to green‑light pursuing two imminent grants — a School Security Equipment Grant (due Aug. 1) and the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP, due July 27) — to fund door lock modernization and possible window/facade work at Southampton Middle School; the board authorized her to proceed and directed coordination with county supervisors.
Superintendent Dr. Thompson told the board she would pursue two near‑term grant opportunities to address building security and capital needs and asked for the board’s blessing to move forward with applications and county coordination.
Dr. Thompson said the School Security Equipment Grant — with an application window that closes Aug. 1 — "can provide up to $250,000 for projects that improve school safety including access control, door hardware, visitor management, security cameras, and related security equipment." She described a division‑wide door lock and access control modernization as a high priority and said the project will need a complete inventory and firm cost estimate before a final application is submitted.
The superintendent also recommended pursuing the School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) for projects such as window and exterior‑façade replacement at Southampton Middle School. She noted a recent facility assessment identifying deteriorated windows and water intrusion and said the division must decide whether to invest in renovations while discussions about a possible new middle school continue.
Board members asked for clarity about cost and county support. Chairman Rogers and other members urged Dr. Thompson to confer with county staff about possible county financial participation and the board’s capital improvement priorities. Board members reiterated that SCAP projects should be reflected in the division’s capital improvement plan before application.
The board voted unanimously to authorize the superintendent to continue preparing grant applications and to consult with the board of supervisors and relevant county staff prior to submitting final requests. Dr. Thompson said she had already discussed the security grant timeline with county staff and would return with a fuller application and budget recommendation for board approval.
The superintendent framed the requests within a broader operational review: she described a structured listening tour and said security and building envelope work were among the priorities emerging from stakeholder conversations. She also asked the board to consider tradeoffs between development projects and potential school replacements when prioritizing capital dollars and grant targets.
The next procedural step is for administration to provide a more detailed grant application and cost estimate for the security grant and SCAP items at a future meeting, and for the superintendent to report back on conversations with the board of supervisors.
