photos by Bianca Moorman/The Meridian StarMeridian Public School District social workers Deanna Odom, Alesha Stennis and Mary Zettler organize supplies for students Stennis was hired as a new social worker with federal COVID-19 relief funds. 

Local school districts are using federal COVID-19 relief funds to improve services and make campuses safer. 

Since the start of the pandemic, districts have received three rounds of funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER).

In 2020, the first round of funding came from the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In early 2021, schools received the second round of money under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

A third round of funds comes from The American Rescue Act signed by President Joe Biden in early 2021. 

Ken Hardy, director of federal programs and accountability for the Lauderdale County School District, said the district used its first round of money to purchase iPads for students in grades 7-12 and Chromebooks for students in grades K-6.

The funds were also used to purchase personal protective equipment, cleaning services and software for distance learning.

The district is using ESSER II funds to hire an instructional technologist, to provide i-Pads for students in grades K-6, offer professional development, and to pay for COVID-19 sick leave for teachers.

Hardy said 20 percent of ESSER III money has to address learning loss that occurred during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. The district is using the money for graduation coaches and additional staff.

Those positions are being paid for with district funds until the application for the funds is approved by MDE. The positions, which are not guaranteed for renewal, will be funded for three years.

The district is also planning upgrades to the HVAC systems in schools. 

Meridian Public School District 

The Meridian Public School District used ESSER I and II funds to purchase laptops and personal protective equipment, as well as professional development courses for teachers.

The district is also using the money to provide support in early learning programs, elementary, middle, and high schools and vocational and technical programs, as well as after-school and summer programs.

The district has also hired additional social workers, interventionists, nurses and teacher assistants.

“It really helps us to meet the needs more effectively and efficiently because we are so stretched thin a lot of the time,” said Mary Zettler, a social worker with the district. “Bringing in another person really allows us to do more, be more productive.”

The district is planning to use ESSER II and III funds for various capital improvement projects, said Clay Sims, director of operations.

Those upgrades include restroom renovations and HVAC improvements, he said. The district has also installed water bottle stations at its campuses. 

“This will allow our students, staff and visitors when they visit our facilities to fill up any water bottles they have,” Sims said.