Monthly Newsletter

January 2023

Welcome to the United We Learn Council monthly newsletter!

As the United We Learn work moves forward, we want to keep the public informed of the progress being made. This newsletter will highlight the work of each of the three standing committees, introduce council members and include links to the recorded meetings.

Message From Audrey

In the time since our kick-off meeting in November, I have been energized by the work that our standing committees have embarked upon. Watching the development of the missions, charters and goals of each committee has given me great confidence in the future of Kentucky education.

As we move forward with our charge, we must remember to keep learning at the center of our focus and embrace innovation. Keep questioning and searching for new ideas as you work to improve Kentucky’s education system.

Updates from Our Committees

The Kentucky United We Learn Vibrant Learning Standing Committee met on Dec.19 to continue the work that began on  Nov. 30.

The committee welcomed Justin Dunning (Student - Lyon County High School) as the newly elected chair.

The committee revisited the goal created in November, which is to develop an internal shared understanding of vibrant learning experiences that matter to students so we can articulate a vision and strategic plan to create excitement about the future of education in Kentucky.

The committee generated several ideas for pursuing our learning agenda and introduced the process for nominating and electing a committee chair.

The committee will meet again Feb. 6.

The Kentucky United We Learn Building a Bold New Future Standing Committee met on Jan. 23.

The committee welcomed Caleb Bates (Student - Eastern Kentucky University) and Bentley White (Student - Kentucky School for the Deaf, Commissioner's Student Advisory Council)  as chair and co-chair.

Next, the committee reviewed the Innovative Habits of Inclusive Design – inclusion, empathy, co-creation and reciprocity –  and looked at what a School Quality System provides, including accountability and assessment policies, assessment data on the school and identification of students that need help.

The members discussed the importance of meeting the needs of all members (community, parents, teachers and policymakers) and reviewed what the federal government requires in terms of the School Quality System.

Lastly, the committee received an update on Knowledge Works’ Opportunity Analysis and the State Policy Framework. We discussed how we could frame Kentucky’s Portrait of a Learner, what we could include for accountability (e.g., learner-centered approaches, local indicators, competency-based education pathways); how assessments might look (e.g., measure knowledge and deeper learning, actionable and timely data, culturally inclusive, and include performance tasks and capstones); and what is required for graduation.

The committee will meet again Feb. 13.

The Kentucky United We Learn Accelerating Innovation Standing Committee met virtually on Jan. 9 to support scaling of innovations within and across communities through changes in assessment and accountability.

The committee welcomed Kathy Stovall (Community Member - Louisville) as the newly elected chair and elected Sarah Hatton (Educator - Adair County) as co-chair. 

Members continued developing the committee charter and revisited the six-month goal created in November 

Working in groups, the committee generated ideas for collecting information to learn about the design of past and present innovations in assessment and accountability from inside and outside Kentucky.

The committee will meet again Feb. 6. 

Watch a livestream of the meetings via the 

KDE Media Portal.

Meet the Council Members

Representative James Tipton - House District 53

Rep. James Tipton grew up on a family dairy farm in Spencer County. He and his family currently operate a small beef cattle farm and he is a licensed real estate broker. Rep. Tipton is currently serving in his fifth term in the Kentucky House of Representatives and he is the current chairman of the House Education Committee.

Dr. Robb Smith 

Committee: Vibrant Learning Experience

Robb Smith is the statewide director of Deeper Learning for the Kentucky Association of Educational Cooperatives. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in middle grades education from Northern Kentucky University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Louisville. He resides in Kenton County with his wife and four children.

Jenny Hobson

Committee: Bold New Future

Jenny Hobson is the parent of a Berea Independent high schooler and of a college junior. She serves on Berea Community's L3 committee and the Berea Family Resource Youth Services Center Advisory Council in her parent role. She works for Partners for Rural Impact to support school teams as they pursue Family Friendly Schools certification. Strong partnerships between schools and families to promote student achievement and wellness is her "why."

Lonnie Nixon

Committee: Accelerating Innovation

Lonnie Nixon is married, has three grown children and enjoys sports and being outdoors. He holds a bachelor's degree in MS/EL education from Ohio University, a master's degree in leadership from The University of the Cumberlands and he is currently working on his doctorate in educational leadership. Nixon works for Berea Elementary on a federally funded grant to improve the school climate and culture. His future goal is to give back by teaching undergraduate courses at a university. Nixon hopes to contribute his perspectives, gain knowledge and improve education in the Commonwealth through this change effort.

Susan R. Strange

Project Manager

Division of Innovative Learning

Office of Continuous Improvement and Support

Phone: (502) 892-6419 Ext. 4014

Email: susan.strange@education.ky.gov

300 Sower Blvd. – 5th floor

Frankfort, KY 40601