POTTSVILLE -- The Pottsville Area School District will soon have more eyes on campus.
The school has received grant money to add new security cameras to the campus in Schuylkill County.
Pottsville Area was granted $25,000 from the state`s safe schools initiative, which is the highest amount awarded.
"At one time surveillance cameras and things like that were a luxury, but in today's world they're a necessity," said Maryellen Setlock, the grant writer for the school district.
School officials said the new cameras have a more advanced technology than their old cameras.
They can zoom in take a clearer picture and store more footage.
Setlock said, "Whether there is vandalism, discipline issues, you name it, things happen in today's world."
Those new cameras will be in addition to the old cameras already patrolling the Pottsville Area School District.
"We will also be installing cameras throughout our parking areas," said Dr. Jeffery Zwiebel, the Superintendent at Pottsville Area.
After the new cameras are installed, the school district will have close to 200 cameras around the campus.
The superintendent said after the school was already evacuated this year for a county-wide bomb threat, safety is their number one priority and these new cameras are seen as an extra safety tool.
"It's important that we always keep our guard up, but every little bit we can do, it does help," said Dr. Zwiebel.
The school hopes to have 90 new cameras up by spring.
