Holcomb Proclaims This Week "Safe School Week"

October 21-27

With the school year in full swing and schools back in session after Fall Break, Hoosiers are encouraged to remain vigilant to ensure safe schools as the nation recognizes America’s Safe Schools Week, which begins today.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb also proclaimed October 21-27 as Safe Schools Week in Indiana, in alignment with the national designation. Safe Schools Week is a National School Safety Center initiative to motivate key education and law enforcement policymakers, as well as teachers, parents and students, to continue focusing on school safety measures while providing a safe learning environment.

In September, the Indiana Secured Schools Board approved more than $19 million in matching state funds through the Secured School Safety Grant, marking the largest ever single-year investment in safety initiatives at Hoosier schools. These grants provide funding for school resource officers and law enforcement officers in schools; equipment and technology; active event warning systems; firearms training for teachers and staff that choose to allow guns on school property; threat assessments and implementation of a student and parent support services program. In addition, the Indiana Department of Administration operates a free metal detector program that has distributed more than 3,400 metal detectors to more than 420 Indiana schools since mid-2018.

Hoosiers looking for ways they can advocate for school safety in their community can visit the National School Safety Center website at schoolsafety.us or the Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s website at dhs.in.gov.