Whitman Middle School received a share of a $1.5 million grant for energy management control system upgrades as part of $4.6 million in energy-efficiency improvement grants made to Seattle Public Schools from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

The grants, part of the $50 million State Jobs Acts for Public K-12 and Higher Education awards, will help fund 10 energy-efficiency projects at 22 Seattle schools, according to a Seattle Public Schools press release.

The Seattle School District grants were awarded during the second round of state Commerce Department energy-efficiency grant funding.

During the first round, announced Aug. 12, Seattle Public Schools received seven Department of Commerce energy conservation construction grants totaling $3.86 million. In addition, Seattle Public Schools was awarded three energy conservation construction grants, totaling $5.58 million, from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

More than 50 Seattle public schools will receive energy-efficiency upgrades through the $14 million in energy grants awarded to date, along with existing funding provided by voters through the Buildings, Technology & Academics capital levy projects.