Craven County Schools is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a grant in the amount of $133,332 from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to support additional School Resource Officers in four of our elementary schools. This is a matching grant program which will provide funding to secure School Resource Officer services at James W. Smith Elementary, Roger Bell New Tech Academy, JT Barber Elementary, and Oaks Road Academy.
These four schools were selected after a needs assessment was completed by District staff. Craven County Schools has recently adopted a new vision for public education, in partnership with over 60 members of our community. As we begin to deploy the plan to achieve that vision, school safety continues to be a focus of our district and an area of continual analysis and improvement. We are excited to see the opportunity that school resource officers will mean for our elementary level schools and use this grant as an opportunity to assess their impact on our students and staff. Craven County Schools is fortunate to have the strong partnerships that we do with our local law enforcement agencies. The school system looks forward to expanding our relationship with the men and women in our community that represent the very best of public service. Having a School Resource Officer at each of these schools will help build a positive relationship between our students and local law enforcement and assist in promoting anti-bullying initiatives, contribute to drug and crime prevention programs, and provide a safe and secure campus during school hours and at after-school activities.
Submitted by: Jennifer Wagner, Director of Public Relations, Craven County Schools