Article Summary –
The Mount Horeb School District in Dane County is set to receive $118,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Project SERV program to support mental health initiatives following a school shooting incident in May. The funding will be used to hire a social worker, provide trauma-informed education literature, training, and conferences for staff to aid in the community’s recovery. The district has also initiated several measures, including an information session on children’s emotional needs, a task force to review safety protocols, and the introduction of a support dog named Crumble for students.
The Mount Horeb School District in Dane County will receive $118,000 in federal funding for mental health support, Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced on Aug. 20.
The funding will enable the district, the site of a school shooting in May, to hire a social worker at Mount Horeb Middle School and pay for trauma-informed education literature, training, and conferences for staff as recovery efforts continue.
On May 1, police responded to reports of a male student outside Mount Horeb Middle School with a long gun, which was later identified as a pellet rifle. Students were placed on lockdown for hours, and officers shot the student after he pointed the weapon at them.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Department of Education’s support,” Superintendent Steve Salerno said in Baldwin’s press release. “This funding will allow us to invest in professional development and a dedicated social worker, fostering greater community within Mount Horeb Area School District.”
Baldwin helped connect the district to federal resources; the funding is from the U.S. Department of Education’s Project SERV, which provides short-term funding to help schools recover from violent events.
“We must prevent gun violence and support our communities in recovery,” Baldwin said. “I am proud to have worked with the Mt. Horeb community to ensure access to mental health and trauma-informed recovery services.”
Following the May incident, the Mount Horeb community expressed concern over the mental health crisis in Wisconsin schools and the traumatic impact on the community.
Ahead of the 2024-25 school year, the district has outlined several initiatives for students and families, including an information session with the U.S. Department of Education, a new safety task force, and a support dog named Crumble.
A report released by the Wisconsin Department of Justice on Aug. 12 stated that the officers involved in the shooting won’t be charged and included details of the student’s plans.
“The document aims to aid collective healing and recognizes the heroism of first responders,” Superintendent Salerno said in a Facebook post.
Project SERV has provided funding since at least 2001. In 2023, more than $6.7 million was awarded to 24 schools, including $1.5 million to Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District in Texas, site of a 2022 mass shooting.
The last time a Wisconsin school district received Project SERV funding was in 2011 when Marinette School District received $50,000 after a shooting involving a student holding his teacher and classmates hostage. In 2008, Crandon School District received $49,986 after a mass shooting killed seven students.
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