COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 153
October 25, 2002
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Project SERV
Funds to Virginia |
The U. S. Department of Education (USDOE) is
making available $250,000 for distribution to school divisions in Virginia that
have been affected by the sniper attacks that began three weeks ago. These
funds are from Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) under the
Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. The funds are intended to provide education-related services to
school divisions in which the learning environment has been disrupted by a
violent or traumatic crisis.
Examples of activities that may be funded by Project SERV include
mental health services, overtime for teachers, counselors, security staff, and
substitute teachers. See Attachment A
for allowable and non-allowable activities.
In keeping with the spirit of directives from USDOE, we intend to
make the application process as easy as possible for school divisions, and at
the same time call attention to the fact that appropriate accountability for
these funds must be maintained.
All of the available funds will be
awarded to school division applicants.
No funds will be maintained by the Department of Education (VADOE) for
administrative or any other purposes.
Project SERV funds are intended to provide education-related services to school divisions in which the learning environment has been disrupted by a violent or traumatic crisis. School divisions applying for funds must demonstrate that the learning environment has been disrupted as a direct result of the sniper attacks.
Costs must be in addition to costs that
the school divisions would have incurred in the absence of the attacks.
To the extent possible, school divisions receiving funds under Project SERV must provide for equitable participation by private school students and teachers.
Funds will be disbursed to eligible
school divisions within 45 days after the receipt of funding from the U.S.
Department of Education.
Within 15 days after the last award is
made, the VADOE must submit a report to the USDOE. The report will include a list of school divisions receiving
funds, the amount of funds awarded, the basis on which the funds were awarded,
a brief description of the activities planned by the school division, and a
copy of each school divisions budget request.
It is the intent of the VADOE to award grants
of up to $25,000 to school divisions that were most directly affected by the
sniper attacks -- school divisions in Northern Virginia, along the Interstate
95 corridor, and the greater Richmond area will receive priority consideration.
Applications must be submitted to the VADOE no later than Friday, November 8,
2002. The recipients of the awards will be announced no later than November 15,
2002.
Questions about the Project SERV grants may be directed to Arlene
Cundiff (acundiff@mail.vak12ed.edu), coordinator
of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, at (804) 225-2871.
JLD/ADC/saj
Attachments
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2002/inf153a.pdf
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2002/inf153b.pdf