Two additional school police officers are headed to Hempfield after the district received over $360,000 in state grant funding.

Seven full-time officers will patrol the halls thanks to the School Mental Health & Safety and Security grant. The new officers will be stationed at Stanwood and Maxwell elementary schools.

“We are looking forward to starting to put those funds to great use to better our children and our school community,” Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said during the district’s school board meeting this week.

The funding will cover the officers’ salary and training, Wolicki said.

The addition comes after the district hired three part-time officers in August. Currently, the district employs five full-time officers and eight part-time officers. As the number of full-time officers increases, the number of part-time officers could decrease if any of those officers are hired in the full-time positions, said district human resources director Bob Reger.

The school police began in 2018 after the district previously hired security officers as independent contractors. Hempfield Township doesn’t have a municipal police department.

Officers receive $25.50 per hour and an extra $5 per hour working evening and weekend events.

Other benefits

Grant money won’t be used just for new officers. Funds also will benefit other security enhancements and mental health programs.

Hempfield plans to use a portion of the funds to amp up its Student Assistance Program training. The program is a K-12 initiative in which personnel identify student issues — such as alcohol, drugs, mental health struggles and behavioral concerns — that could hinder learning and success.

With this funding, the district says it will enhance SAP training at the high school and with the referral of students who are at risk of violent behavior.

On the mental health side, funds will go toward counseling services for students; salaries and training for certified school psychologist interns; and staff training on positive behavior, de-escalation techniques and responses to student behavior that may require intervention and treatment, among other initiatives.

“Placing a higher priority on mental health is important for all school districts, and receiving these funds is a great honor for the district,” Wolicki said in a news release.

Wolicki credited Lisa Maloney, supervisor of pupil services, for writing the grant, which was awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The funds, totaling $364,469, will support the initiatives through July 2024.

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