School District awarded grant for safety improvements

The Florida Union Free School District has been selected to receive a 2026 AASA Sourcewell “Helping Kids” mini grant for $3,500. The grant will be used to purchase lockdown window shades for our classrooms, improving infrastructure and enhancing safety, which is critical to student learning, while providing improved visibility into the hallway when it is not in use.

District officials said that continuously improving school safety is a critical area, and maintaining consistency across the district is paramount. These window shades will replace older or DIY versions of the shades that teachers are using in their classrooms. By implementing the same safety features throughout classrooms, the district aims to ensure students and staff experience uniform procedures and protections regardless of location.

Sourcewell and AASA, The School Superintendents Association, have been providing funds to school districts to assist with specific needs since 2012

FUFSD was awarded the Sourcewell mini grant last year as well, and the hot spots purchased using the funds have been a tremendous success in providing students and staff with consistent connectivity across the district.

Officials said the continued support from Sourcewell and AASA allows the district to address both immediate needs and long-term priorities, particularly in areas that directly impact student safety and access to learning.