Aguilar Announces Funding To Support Recovery Efforts at North Park Elementary School

Washington, D.C.— Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino) announced that the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) has been awarded $69,651 from the Department of Education through the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) Grant Program. Rep. Aguilar authored a letter of support for the federal grant on behalf of the school district in June to help North Park Elementary recover from the horrific shooting that claimed the lives of Karen Smith and Jonathan Martinez, a teacher and eight-year-old student at the San Bernardino school.

 “The horrific and senseless act of violence that took the lives of Karen and Jonathan devastated our community, and none more so than their families and North Park Elementary, which includes more than 500 students and nearly 50 faculty. Sadly, our community is no stranger to tragedy, and in the aftermath of such extraordinary emergencies, it’s critical that we have the resources available to help those affected by the violence to recover and heal,” said Rep. Aguilar. He continued, “These funds are welcomed and will be put to good use to help restore the learning environment and manage the ongoing healing process at North Park Elementary.”

 San Bernardino City Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden said, “We thank Congressman Pete Aguilar and our federal government for supporting the needs of the San Bernardino community.  As we prepare for a new school year, the generous grant will help us restore a positive learning environment at North Park Elementary School.”

 The federal dollars will be used to reimburse administrative costs and services to support the recovery process at North Park Elementary School. Some of these reimbursements include funds for ongoing counseling services, substitute teachers for affected staff, and services from the immediate response to the shooting in April.

 Pete Aguilar represents California’s 31^st Congressional District, including the City of San Bernardino.