Lawrence School District gets $2.6m grant

Lawrence School District will get a $2.6 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will cover 90 percent of the cost of building repairs to the high school, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

The total amount of the grant is $2,622,957.71. The remaining 10 percent will be provided by the state. The district closed the school for nearly three months in 2013 and shifted students from the high school to the middle school and from the middle school to two district elementary schools.

Lawrence Board of Education President Murray Forman credited Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) with helping to attain the federal money.

“I want to convey my sincere thanks to Congresswoman Kathleen Rice for her assistance in securing FEMA monies for the Lawrence School District,” Forman said. “These much needed and long-awaited federal funds will allow the district’s students to continue their upward trajectory of achievement in a safe and healthy environment.”

Rice said that the school district has worked hard to recover from Sandy and overcome the challenges they’ve faced in the time since Sandy. “Students and parents, teachers and school officials have stuck together, made tough decisions and stayed true to their mission of helping all students achieve their full potential,” Rice said. “I’m glad these federal funds have been made available to help ease the budgetary burden that Sandy placed on the Lawrence School District, and I’ll keep working to ensure the district gets all the funding it needs to fully recover from the storm.”