Ashland , Boyd County , Kentucky

Students in Boyd County now have an extra layer of security while they're in school.

When parents or anyone else visits any school in the county, they now have to be buzzed in.

Some local school districts have used a similar system, but it's a first in Boyd County.

After last year's tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn,, school administrators wanted a way to help students, parents and staff feel safer.

"It just gives us another layer of security from someone who would want to get in the building to harm us,” said Safe Schools Director Richard Cyrus. “It just gives us another layer of protection."

The system cost the district about $25,000 and will be installed in all the schools in the county by Monday.

---

Visitors entering Boyd County schools will see a new safety feature.

Summit Elementary School principal said, "Anything we can do to keep our children safe or to make them feel safer while they're at school is very important."

Visitors will need to push a button and identify themselves and why they are there. Office employees can see the visitor on a monitor.

Boyd County safe schools director Richard Cyrus explained, "It just gives us another layer of security from someone who would want to get in the building to harm us, it just gives us another layer of protection."

Howard Rose has daughter in first grade at Summit Elementary. He said, "It's human nature to think that it will never happen to you or in our area, but facts are that it does, and even smaller."

Martin tells us after recent school tragedies, parents became increasingly concerned about stronger safety measures. That's why the Boyd County board of education approved a $25,000 security plan to install this system at all schools in the district.

She said, "We were very pleased to tell them that our board had taken proactive action and been able to do this"

While it may take a few extra seconds to get in the door, parents say they're happy to comply. Rose said, "It's a sign of the times, and I want all the children safe, and if that's what we need to do, then I'm all for it."

All schools will have the system installed by Monday. Cyrus said, "The bottom line is they know it's safety, and that's what we're here for."

---

The Boyd County School system has installed a new security access system to all of the facilities in the district.

At 7:45 a.m. every day, all doors into any school building will be locked. The security system will require any visitor who enters a school building to be buzzed in by a school employee. School personnel also will be monitoring parking lots and lobbies while students are arriving and being dismissed. Every public school in Boyd County will implement the new system by Monday.

The cost to the new system for the district was $25,050, without the help of federal funding.

Superintendent Howard Osborne sent a letter to parents about the system and to emphasize the importance of school safety. Officials are asking parents to be patient while everyone becomes accustomed to the new system.

How To Contact WCHS-TV8 | Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Terms and Conditions | DMCA Policy | Frequently Asked Questions

Home | Eyewitness News Newsroom | Storm Team Weather | Eyewitness Sports | Schedules

---

Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.

Copyright ©2013, WCHS-TV8. Portions are
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or distributed.