TRENTON — After classes let out Monday at Ozaukee Christian School, staff members came together to pray and reflect.
Ozaukee Christian School is affiliated with Abundant Christian Life School in Madison, where a deadly school shooting took place.
Previous Coverage: https://www.tmj4.com/news/state-capitol/police-responding-to-report-of-school-shooter-at-abundant-life-christian-school-in-madison
Both schools are independent, non-denominational Christian institutions that fall under the Association of Christian Schools International.
For Kris Austin, Ozaukee Christian’s head of school, prayer was the first thing she turned to when she learned of the shooting.
Watch: Ozaukee Christian staff hold prayer circle for Abundant Life following shooting
“I just had to pray for them because that was the best, the only thing that I could do,” Austin said.
Austin told TMJ4 that staff review safety protocols weekly and had done so on the Monday after the incident.
At 3:20 p.m., staff members gathered to read scripture, share prayers, and write messages on a whiteboard.
This was their chance to process what happened and to share messages of support for their colleagues.
“Just having them know that we're with them in prayer, we're standing with them—particularly with their teachers and students—is important because they have a really big job ahead of them to help their kids process this,” Austin said.
Many staff members at Ozaukee Christian School are connected to the staff and families at Abundant Life, including Janet Swartz.
“It hit close to home,” Swartz said. “That was shocking... that could be us. That's a very similar school in structure to who we are.”
She told TMJ4 she has been sending texts to people she knows within the Abundant Life community.
“We've had families that attended Ozaukee Christian School who moved to Madison, and they looked up Abundant Life because it was another ACSI school, much like our own,” Swartz said.
Staff and teachers at Ozaukee Christian will talk with their students about the incident at Abundant Life on Tuesday morning.
For now, they’re using the power of prayer to uplift those who are hurting.
“No matter what happens in the next week or months, God is there for them, and we will be there too,” Austin said.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
