(LEX 18) — In the wake of Monday's school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin, school safety is once again top of mind for communities across the country.
After the deadly attack at the small, private Christian school, Terry Smith, who runs a similar school here in Central Kentucky, said she was devastated.
"It is heartbreaking. It is a tragedy. It's beginning now to get closer to home," Smith said.
Smith is the director and founder of Bourbon Christian Academy, located in Millersburg.
A school of roughly just 100 students, its approach to school safety is different from that of large public schools.
In recent years, the school has implemented security cameras, locked door policies, and stricter rules for visitors.
"It's just, unfortunately, in this day and time, the society we're in, you can't be hypervigilant enough. You have to stay on top of things," she said.
Since a law passed last year, Kentucky's private schools have been able to partner with public law enforcement agencies to implement school resource officers (SROs) on campuses.
Schools like Lexington Christian Academy have partnered with the Fayette County Sheriff's Office to bring in law enforcement officers to serve as additional security for the school.
According to the Kentucky Center for School Safety, there are 830 SRO positions reported in Kentucky school districts. 37% are employed by a sheriff's department, and nearly 33% are employed by local police.
Smith added that Bourbon Christian is continuing to speak with families, as safety remains a high priority for everyone.
"Safety and making sure our students are secure is at the very top of the list," Smith said.
