School districts receive bus safety grant funding

Four area school districts are among 11 districts in Carroll and Columbiana counties awarded funding through the Ohio School Bus Safety Grant Program.

Awards total more than $369,000.

In Carroll County, grants were awarded to Carrollton Exempted Village School District, $21,787; Brown Local School District, $28,116; Minerva Local School District, $5,000; and the Carroll County Board of Developmental Disabilities, $17,264. Southern Local School District in Columbiana County received $10,115.

"Carrollton used its funding for external bus cameras and fully illuminated stop arms on the front and rear of buses," Superintendent David Davis said.

Transportation Director Tom Fry said all 20 sets have been installed on district buses, which travel about 2,200 miles each day. The district has 18 bus drivers.

Brown Local Schools at Malvern used its grant to purchase fully illuminated school bus signs, according to Superintendent Danielle Hawk.

“With the amount we were granted, we were able to purchase four of the signs,” Hawk said.

Minerva Local School District used its funding for bus safety equipment, specifically illuminated school bus stop signs, Superintendent Mark Scott said.

The Carroll County Board of Developmental Disabilities used its grant to upgrade and add cameras on its buses, along with installing illuminated stop signs and illuminated school bus signs, Superintendent Matt Campbell said.

Sandy Valley Local Schools was awarded $86,809 through the Department of Education and Workforce bus safety grant. Superintendent Matt Whitted said the funding will be used to purchase external cameras and update push-to-talk broadband capabilities integrated with traditional land mobile radio for interoperability with public safety and emergency service broadband applications.

“Sounds fancy; we are simply updating some safety features on the buses and improving communication on our buses with the money,” Whitted said.

Edison Local Schools received $22,596 of the $74,585.46 it requested. Assistant Superintendent Julie Kireta said the money will be used to purchase new bus radios, though the district will have to reduce the number of radios it buys because of the smaller award.

“We asked for funds to do 17 buses but will only be able to fund five through the grant money,” Kireta said. “There are a lot of extra costs with the radios.”

Conotton Valley Superintendent John Zucal said the district did not apply for grant money because its bus fleet already has current technology.