Danville’s new superintendent has experience in education, law enforcement

DANVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) — A new Central Kentucky schools chief has a different perspective on school safety. Greg Ross will be the new superintendent when the Danville children return to school this fall.

Ross was teaching at a nearby school when Paducah had its own school shooting tragedy in 1997. He’s from the Paducah area and even coached Nicole Hadley’s siblings. Hadley was one of three students killed in the shooting. Now, he’s about to start a new superintendent role with school safety on the minds of many.

“I also think I walk in a community that is passionate about creating a safe environment,” Ross said.

A group of community leaders and first responders have started school safety meetings, hoping to prevent or at least prepare for the unthinkable should it happen there.

“You prepare for the worst, but that’s not the real event. It’s still an exercise. No matter how you look at it, it’s still a drill,” Ross said.

Ross has both education and law enforcement in his background. In fact, he attended the same police academy that Boyle County Sheriff Derek Robbins attended.

Ross went from teaching to police work and back to education.

“Education has always been the goal. That’s where I wanted to be,” Ross said.

School shootings have caused educators and police to work together more frequently and he has a lot of experience in both areas.

“In my doctoral research, it is also in positive behaviors and support. For me, the realm of de-escalation, being able to move through things in a positive way. It’s so important,” Ross said.

Ross said it’s also important to know how quickly things can go wrong and how to react to that.

Ross said his time as a patrol officer in Paducah really taught him valuable lessons that he uses as an educator.

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