The Clear Creek ISD board of trustees Monday night approved a $3.4 million contract with the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office for school safety officers.

The cost was included in the fiscal year 2018-19 budget the board approved in late August, according to district documents.

In July the board approved the CCISD School Safety Committee’s recommendation to hire an additional 15 liaison officers, which are included in the contract.

Before the recommended changes took effect, there was one liaison officer at each of the district’s 10 intermediate schools and two officers at each of its five high schools. The board approved hiring one additional officer per school to increase safety in response to national school shootings.

Paul McLarty, deputy superintendent of business and support services, said the 10 intermediate school officers primarily patrol area elementary schools.

“That’s been working real well,” he said.

Board member Chris Reed said the contract is expensive but cheaper than the district getting its own police department.

“I think it’s a good move,” he said.

The board also approved in July hiring 15 additional school-support counselors. Superintendent Greg Smith estimated it would cost about $2.6 million to hire the 30 additional personnel and pay for the officers’ vehicles.

The board on Monday also approved spending $3.13 million of 2007 bond money to convert the Clear Lake 9th Grade Center into a Learner Support Center.

A decade ago the bonds would have funded converting the building into an intermediate school, but the board at the time determined a new school was unnecessary for the foreseeable future, according to district documents.

The new facility will house offices for various departments, an early childhood intake center, dual-credit courses and more. Construction will begin in November and will be complete by July, according to the documents.