The North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District was awarded a safety grant check in the amount of $41,400 by the New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group (NSJABIG). The grant money must be used to invest in safety and security-related improvements within the district.
The district applied for the safety grant in May 2011 and, in accordance with its application, will use the funds to complete repairs or replacements of interior and exterior walking surfaces at both North Hunterdon and Voorhees High Schools, including but not limited to floor tiles, carpets, doormats, stair treads, sidewalks, parking areas and curbs.
NJSBAIG established a public school safety grant program in 2009 and has continued to award safety grants over the past three years. In those three years, the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District has been awarded a total of $98,800 in safety grants. The grants have been used to install additional security cameras and exterior lighting, purchase first aid equipment, protective safety gear, additional handheld communication devices, and additional traffic barriers and cones, as well as provide staff training on safety related topics.
The NJSBAIG grant program promotes proactive risk management and provides funding districts otherwise would not have to invest in safety-related projects and improvements. This year one of the goals for the program is to assist districts with funding for emergency preparedness plans. With recent disasters including hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding, NJSBAIG has seen an increase in claim activity. “Many times local evacuations end up at our school district’s front doors and we hope this funding will ensure our schools are safe for the students and communities they serve,” said NJSBAIG DirectorMarty Kalbach. “These grant awards continue a tradition of cooperation between NJSBAIG and our member districts that can really contribute to the development of a strong safety culture in our N.J. school district community.”
NJSBAIG is awarding $4 million in safety grants to member districts in 2011. The insurer awarded $5 million in safety grants to members in 2010.
The New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group (NJSBAIG) is a non-profit public entity providing property, casualty and workers’ compensation insurance at competitive rates to public and charter school districts in New Jersey. Established in 1983, NJSBAIG is the only statewide, member-owned joint insurance fund for school districts. NJSBAIG offers comprehensive insurance coverage, competitive rates, in-house claims management and a host of risk management and loss control services. To learn more about NJSBAIG, visit their Web site at www.njsbaig.org.