Muncie Community Schools receive grants

MUNCIE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Muncie Community Schools has secured four grants totaling $825,000 for various needs. The grants are designed to increase security, improve student literacy and to help train teachers. The grants include $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice’s School Violence Prevention Program, $100,000 from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, $225,000 from the Indiana Department of Education: $150,000 for a 21st Century Learning Center program and $75,000 for teachers’ professional development. 

“We’re fortunate to receive these awards that will allow us to continue to move the district forward in a number of important areas,” MCS Director of Public Education and CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski said. “We had to beat out many other applicants for these funds, which indicates that others believe in our plans and what we’re doing to provide the best learning environment possible for our students and staff.”

The Justice Department grant funding will allow the district to purchase high-quality security cameras to be installed at all campuses. The Homeland Security grant will secure portable radio equipment and window security wraps.

The federally funded 21st Century Learning Center program grant will help establish an afterschool and summer learning program, “Amazing Astros,” at Grissom Elementary School. The program is for K-3 students for the first year and extending to grades 4-5 the next year. The other IDOE grant will fund teacher participation in Ball State’s remote learning series established to improve teachers’ online teaching skills and to help develop anti-racism social studies curriculum.