The Newtown school district learned on Monday that the federal Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) has awarded it a second, $1.9 million grant to continue providing assistance to the district’s staff, student and families impacted by the mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.
In a news release, Interim Schools Superintendent John Reed stated that the federal government has proved an “invaluable partner” by providing these resources to the district needed to assist and support the ongoing emotional health and resiliency needs of its constituents.
” Our school system understands that this level of support from the federal government is very significant and will work diligently to maximize the impact of the work funded by this $1.9 million,” Reed said in the release.
This grant follows a $1.3 million SERV grant provided to the district in the aftermath of the tragedy last year.
“As the information released today by the U.S. Department of Education summarizes, these funds will be used to provide grief support services for siblings and those who lost their peers, as well as classroom-based psycho-education and skill-building strategies. The skill-based interventions for affected students identified as needing assistance for posttraumatic stress reactions, traumatic grief, separation anxiety and other functional or behavioral problems will be continued. The grant also provides for other important resources such as tutoring for students who have demonstrated academic decline since the incident. This grant will cover expenses from September 1, 2013 through August 15, 2014 and according to Dr. John Reed, Interim Superintendent of Schools, it is hoped that further grants will be approved so that the work will continue well beyond August 15, 2014.
Look for a complete story on the grant in the coming print and online editions of The News-Times.