Wayland Union Schools Awarded COPS Office SVPP Grant

Wayland Union Schools is improving district safety thanks to a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. This fall, Wayland Union Schools Technology Director, Scott Getter, was awarded the COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP), a competitive grant designed to improve security in schools through evidenced-based safety technology and infrastructure upgrades. 

District Security Officer, Matt Miller, states that “our district's number one goal is to provide a safe, secure environment for our students and staff, and this grant will continue to allow us the opportunity to provide the highest level of service to the community that we serve.”

For Wayland Union Schools, the SVPP grant will fund upgrades to our video surveillance systems, providing situational awareness across the district. The upgraded system will feature high-quality video coverage and the ability to securely share video with law enforcement in the event of an emergency. The new cloud-based platform is faster, more reliable, and meets federal cybersecurity standards.

“This grant gives us the ability to take a major step forward in protecting our students and staff,” explained Scott Getter, “by upgrading to a secure, modern surveillance system, we are enhancing not just our ability to respond to emergencies, but also our day-to-day ability to create a safe, welcoming place to learn and work.”

Upgrades to our current system are set to begin in Fall 2025, with equipment purchasing, installation and staff training occurring in phases through Spring 2026.

Teresa Fulk, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, would like to acknowledge all the hard work and time that went into making this project possible for our students. “We appreciate Mr. Getter’s leadership in pursuing this grant. These upgrades help ensure our students and staff have the safest and most effective learning environment possible” stated Mrs. Fulk. “Applying for and managing grants requires significant time and effort, it's worthwhile because they bring valuable resources that benefit our entire district. We’re also grateful to the district staff who will support the purchase, installation, training, and implementation processes that make these improvements a reality.”

For more information on the SVPP, please visit their website at https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp.