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Dear Colleagues,
Last week, KDE had the pleasure of announcing the new non-voting teacher and student members of the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE). I am so proud of Kentucky for being an educational leader in the country by having both a student and teacher serve on the board. They provide unique insight into the issues being faced in the classroom and their input has helped shape decisions made by the other members.
Alissa Riley, an educator in the Christian County Public Schools system for 14 years, will serve as the teacher representative.
“I’m a product of Kentucky public schools,” Riley said in a story from Kentucky Teacher. “I have a child that is in public school and I’m married to an administrator, so I want to advocate for public education, for teachers and students.”
Ronald (R.J.) Osborne, a junior from Whitley County High School, will be the next KBE student member. With his appointment, Osborne also will serve on the KDE’s Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council along with 37 other students.
In his application to become the next student member, Osborne said schools are more than just places to get an education.
“In southeastern Kentucky, elementary schools are nestled within small communities and are centers for more than academic growth,” he wrote. “In the best circumstances, they are viewed as extensions of families themselves. They are the first line of support for varied services from food and home goods to physical and mental health care. The county middle and high schools unify the county.”
You can read more about Osborne on Kentucky Teacher. Both Riley’s and Osborne’s terms will begin on July 1, 2023, and end on June 30, 2024.
I want to give a special shoutout to Osborne, who is the first KBE member in Kentucky’s history to become a state baseball champ. Whitley County defeated Shelby County 2-1 in Lexington on Saturday. It is the school’s first state title in history.
I also want to congratulate Ballard High School’s (Jefferson County’s) softball team, which won back-to-back Kentucky championships by beating Henderson County 12-4 on Saturday. Congratulations to both teams!
Another update from KDE is that Jonathan Jett and Carol Ann Morrison have been named acting director and co-director of the Division of State Schools at KDE. Both currently serve in the Office of Special Education and Early Learning. Jett and Morrison were named to the positions temporarily amid a search for a new permanent director of the division. Previous Director of State Schools Jane Paynter has retired.
In their interim roles, Jett and Morrison will oversee administration and management of the Kentucky School for the Blind and the Kentucky School for the Deaf and support school leaders and students.
And finally, we will release the last of our guidance related to the general assembly’s 2023 regular session today. The effective date of this legislation is Thursday, June 29. You can find the guidance on KDE’s Legislative Guidance webpage.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
Registration Open for Certified Evaluation Training
Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 Initial Certified Evaluation Training for new administrators.
As required by KRS 156.557 and 704 KAR 3:370, all administrators newly assigned the role of evaluator of certified personnel must complete this two-day training. In-person and virtual training dates are available.
P3 Offering Free Update Training for Experienced Evaluators
The Principal Partnership Project (P3) team is offering free, in-person Update Training for experienced evaluators. The training is targeted to support principals and assistant principals in using the Kentucky Framework for Teaching to strategically coach teachers.
This meets the 704 KAR 3:325 requirement of a minimum of six hours annually of personnel evaluation system training. EILA credit will be provided.
Training is scheduled for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. local time on June 20, June 21, July 11, July 20 and Nov. 9.
2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit Scheduled for June 28-29
The Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Student Success is hosting the 2023 Persistence to Graduation Summit June 28-29 at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.
Superintendents, principals, educators, Family Resource and Youth Services Center coordinators, social service professionals, and community partners from across Kentucky will convene to share information and best practices to support students who may experience challenges to reaching graduation. Engaging and interactive sessions will be led by facilitators from across the state and will include:
- Well-rounded educational opportunities;
- Safe and supportive learning environments;
- Effective use of education technology;
- Student transition and re-engagement strategies; and
- Alternative education programming
The keynote speaker will be Trevor Ragan, who you may recognize from his popular TEDx Talk on overcoming fear or his work around developing a growth mindset.
Continuing Education Unit (CEU) and Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit will be available. For more information, email Sarah McIntosh.
2023 Continuous Improvement Summit: Save the Date and Registration Link
Mark your calendars to attend the annual Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit. Co-hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia, the summit will be held Sept. 25-26 at the Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.
During this two-day event, attendees will enhance their professional learning, make new connections and build upon existing relationships with peers across Kentucky. They also will hear up-to-date information from KDE leaders and learn how Cognia can help address unique challenges in their journey of continuous improvement. Please join us for this opportunity to explore a variety of topics, engage in conversations that will enrich your understanding of continuous improvement, and be energized by the keynote speaker, Mike Rutherford.
Registration is available on the 2023 Kentucky Continuous Improvement Summit event webpage.
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