Uniformed and armed "school resource officers" will remain in Grayson County's middle and high schools through the end of November, while the school board searches for ways to fund the officers through the end of the fiscal year in June.

At its thursday, Oct. 16 meeting, the board heard School Superintendent Teddy White report the district "is searching among a range of federally-funded programs to keep the SRO's."

In the past, grant money from the national COPS program has paid the officer's salaries, but those grants are issued on a rotating basis and this was not the year for the district to get grant funds.

Since the board had already committed to funding the officers through the end of November, it tabled the question Thursday but asked that it be placed on the board's November agenda. The board asked White to continue the search for grant money. In the past, the board has been very supportive of the in-school officers.

Board members approved adding two other positions, one a special needs aide for Lawler Preschool and a Spanish language instructor at the high school.

In other spending measures, the board approved buying four new school buses for the coming year for a total price of $242,920. Transportation Supervisor Arnold Hack said some of the cost could be recouped, since the district is reimbursed for bus depreciation.

Hack asked the board to consider upping the annual bus order to five or six buses a year.

See School Board, Page 3