DRY RIDGE, Ky. — Grant County first responders are touring each of the county's school buildings this week, so they can be familiar with security plans in the event of an emergency.
Deputies will leave with copies of the emergency plan so they’re aware of the logistics, entrances and exits of each location and how to best access the building during emergencies.
The Grant County School District already has security measures in place similar to other districts including cameras located outside, at all doors and inside the building. The cameras are monitored from a central access point.
Both the middle and high schools continue to have a full-time school resource officer.
“In (the) 19 years I’ve been in the district, one of the biggest pieces we did with the safe schools audit years ago is to make sure our teachers teach with their doors shut and locked," Assistant Superintendent Claudette Herald said.
This year, each building received new “wraps” on the windows of cafeterias and main entrances. The wraps are similar to window clings that cover the entire window in school colors — staff and students can see out the window, but outsiders can’t see in.
A second layer of security at the front doors of each school is also new this year
“Each school has to enter the building two different ways, so they will get buzzed in from the outside and then they will enter into a common area where they will have to be buzzed in a second time, which then would give them access into the academic wing,” Herald said.
The system is a more rigorous way to screen visitors and get them to sign-in before giving them access to the school.
Grant County students are set to return to class on Aug. 17 and 18.
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