Perquimans schools to get $300K in grants

The Perquimans County Schools has received two grants totaling nearly $300,000 that officials say will improve schools’ ability to detect weapons on campus and construct a new greenhouse facility at the high school.

School officials discussed the $186,500 grant from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools and a $98,797 Career and Technical Education agriculture grant during a recent joint work session of the Perquimans Board of Commissioners and Board of Education.

Discussing the Safer Schools grant, officials said $174,000 of it can be used to purchase school safety equipment and $12,500 can be used to cover training costs.

“We’re fortunate to receive the Safe Schools grant. We’ll purchase a weapons-detection system that should be in place in all four schools by next year,” Perquimans County Schools Assistant Superintendent James Bunch said.

The CTE grant will help Perquimans County High School students grow and sell plants through the FFA organization.

According Melissa Swain, CTE director for Perquimans County Schools, the greenhouse project will affect more than 125 high school students. Construction of the greenhouse is slated to take place this school year.

School officials also discussed the district’s funding needs with commissioners during the April 8th meeting.

District officials asked commissioners to agree to providing $235,000, the same level of county funds appropriated for the 2023-24 school year.

Other funding for the schools include $380,000 in sales tax revenue; $3,000 from the sales tax refund; $200,000 from the state allocation for school bus payments; and $98,752 in appropriated fund balance.

District officials believe an additional $392,897 will be needed for increases to teacher salaries, salary benefits for employees, the PQ Ambassadors program, and the hiring of two math teachers and an English teacher.

Superintendent Tanya Turner said the Perquimans County Education Foundation has applied for funds that can be used to pay for the PQ Ambassadors program but the foundation has not received notice that its application has been approved.