SIDNEY, Ohio -- Sidney High School recently received a security upgrade, thanks to a grant from the United States Federal Government and Homeland Security. An SOS “Save Our Schools” grant was secured by district officials and used cover fifty percent of the cost to purchase new security cameras for the interior and exterior of the Sidney High School building.

Sidney High School previously had a small number of cameras in the building that were not functioning properly. School Administration worked closely with the Sidney Police Department and Captain Rod Austin to ensure any new cameras were installed to current security standards. The building was wired for camera installation years earlier when the High School building was renovated, allowing for an easy install in late December by OVIS, a Sidney-based telecommunications company.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the Sidney Police Department to make Sidney High School a more secure place for both students and staff,” said Sidney High School Principal Dr. Sharon Sherry. “The Police Department and Captain Rod Austin have been extremely helpful to us throughout this process. We are honored to receive the SOS grant to allow for increased security in our school building.”

The goal of installing new cameras is to allow both school administration and the Sidney Police Department remote access to the building should a crisis situation arise. The system can be accessed remotely by both groups, allowing them to view both active and archived footage on an as-needed basis. Administration plans to use these cameras for prevention purposes, to create a safe environment for both students and staff.

“Our hope is to use these cameras to not only prevent acts of vandalism and curb other situations, but to also create a safe environment,” said Sidney High School Assistant Principal Eric Combs, who has an extensive security background through his time in the United States Army. “We feel the cameras will be a tool for prevention and overall peace of mind at SHS.”

The district used funds from its Permanent Improvement Fund (PI) to cover the cost of the cameras, half of which were paid for by the SOS grant. The district’s PI Fund can only be used to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings and grounds of Sidney City Schools. These funds are solely intended for this purpose and cannot be used for salaries or day-to-day operational expenses.