Adams 14 School District has been awarded $1 million with a 3-year federal grant to address school violence.

The Students, Teachers, Officers Preventing School Violence Grant Program (STOP) was created to improve grade-school security with the tools teachers and students need to recognize, respond and prevent violence.

“This award reflects our dedication to creating schools where every student feels safe, valued, and supported,” Karla Loría, Adams 14 superintendent, said in a statement.

“By investing in Restorative Justice and Safety Advocates, we are taking a proactive approach to safety and conflict resolution that will positively impact the entire Adams 14 community.”

The STOP School Violence Act of 2018 gives the U.S. Department of Justice Assistance the authority to provide grants to school districts, among others, improve school security for evidence-based safety programs.

The grant is expected to help bolster the district’s effort to implement restorative justice practices.

Rather than a focus on punishment, restorative justice practices emphasize repairing the harm caused by a crime or conflict by bringing the victim and offender together to find solutions to prevent future injury.

The grant will also be used to reduce disciplinary disparities among students.

Located in Commerce City, Adams 14 serves more than 5,000 students in 12 schools across the district.

Adams County 14 has struggled for more than a decade with low academic performance and remains among the state’s bottom 10 performing school districts.

“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has said. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”

Since 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded more than $350 million STOP School Violence grants.

Editor’s note: Class Notes is a recurring update on area school districts from education reporter Nicole C. Brambila.