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Monthly Newsletter
June 2024
Welcome to the United We Learn Council monthly newsletter!
As the United We Learn initiative progresses, we strive to be transparent with our communication to the full council and the public regarding our ongoing endeavors. This newsletter will offer high-level coverage of the council's activities and features introductions to our council members. More information about the annual fall and spring convenings, as well as access to recorded meetings, can be found on our official webpage.
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Welcome Newly Elected Vice Chair
Jim Flynn
A veteran educator and leader with more than 35 years of experience, Jim Flynn serves as executive director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents (KASS). At KASS, he provides professional assistance and leadership for the 171 superintendents in Kentucky, supports their professional learning and leads the group's advocacy efforts.
Flynn served 16 years as superintendent of Simpson County Schools, where he was recognized as the 2015 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year. His national leadership experiences include The School Superintendents Association, the National Superintendents Roundtable and the Superintendents Leadership Network. Additionally, he has presented to international audiences in Finland and China, where he shared Kentucky’s educational achievements and benchmarked best practices.
Flynn is the board chair of the Kentucky Center for Leadership, a statewide nonprofit serving as a leadership catalyst inspiring Kentuckians to achieve a better Commonwealth. His wife of 37 years, Natalie, is a retired teacher and they have three children.
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Updates from the Council
Spring Convening Recap
During the Kentucky United We Learn council convening April 25-26, the council made significant strides in its collective mission. The council unanimously voted to adopt the Kentucky United We Learn Council charter, marking a pivotal step forward. Penny Christian was promoted to the role of council chair, with Jim Flynn, Ed.D., elected as vice chair.
Attendees had the privilege of hearing enlightening snippets of defenses of learning at an elementary, middle and high school level, followed by valuable insights from representatives of the Shelby County Public School system on their behind-the-scenes efforts. The council engaged in a thorough examination of the Accelerating Innovation Design Principles, focusing particularly on theme 1.
To effectively address the council objectives, four key workgroups were established: Learning with Local Districts, Engaging and Communicating with Communities, District Support for Technical Quality and Menu of Options. Some workgroups have chosen to meet virtually or in person between now and the fall convening. Other groups may require our expert partners and KDE to press forward between convenings and bring their deliverables back to the workgroup and or council for feedback.
Looking ahead, a summer working session has been scheduled for July 29, with the fall convening set for Oct. 21-22.
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The Role of Committees vs. Workgroups
Our committees remain active but are no longer standing committees, which means they are not required to meet regularly. Instead, committee leads are responsible for keeping their members informed about ongoing work through email, virtual meetings or in-person meetings. While meetings can still be held, the committee lead can opt to keep members updated solely via email if preferred.
In November 2023, we introduced workgroups. The purpose of workgroups is to enable members from any committee to engage in tasks that interest them. Workgroups focus on task-level activities and are formed to complete specific tasks in between convenings. For instance, the Charter Workgroup met during the fall convening to draft components of a charter. Between convenings, KDE and our expert partners completed the wording and sent the draft charter to all council members for review and editing. The final charter was approved at the April convening.
Ideally, members from each committee will participate in various workgroups. As a result, committee meetings should include updates from each workgroup. If your committee lacks representation in a particular workgroup, the committee lead will receive updates through leadership meetings and will share this information with the committee.
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Roadmap
 During the April 2024 Kentucky United We Learn Council convening, a timeline outlining key milestones for achieving the moonshot was presented. This timeline, shown below, is a living document expected to evolve as feedback on the accountability prototypes is received and incorporated into the council’s work.
The graphic (version 1.0) includes milestones from summer 2024 to summer 2026:
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Summer 2024: “Prototypes Developed” – This milestone is depicted within a circle formed by three arrows labeled Share, Engage and Revise, indicating a continuous cycle.
- Summer 2024: “Legislative Awareness”
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Fall 2024: "Testing Phase" – This milestone is depicted within a circle formed by three arrows labeled KDE, Council and Field, indicating a continuous cycle.
- Winter 2024: "Council Recommends Accountability Model to the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)"
- Spring 2025: "Council and KDE Recommend Model to the Kentucky Board of Education (KBE)"
- Fall 2025: "Engage Interim Education Committee"
- Summer 2026: Goal: “Approved Reimagined Accountability System”
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Meet the Council Members
Renee Scott
Committee: Bold New Future
Renee Scott is a program consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE's) Division of Educator Preparation and Certification.
Her current work with the Kentucky Educator Placement Service has enabled her to utilize communication and project management skills in the areas of education law, teacher recruitment and educator retention. In addition, Scott provides technical assistance to local school district administrators related to state statutory requirements for recruiting and filling certified teacher and administrator vacancies.
Prior to joining the Division of Educator Preparation and Certification, Scott served as a program manager for KDE's Exceptional Children Services.
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Shiryl McAdams
Committee: Accelerating Innovation
Shiryl McAdams has 22 years of experience in elementary education in Kentucky and Florida. She has taught kindergarten through 6th grades, served as a school-based elementary literacy coach and interventionist, and is in her fourth year as the literacy intervention coach for her district, primarily focusing on early literacy.
McAdams is a National Board Certified Teacher in Literacy: Early to Middle Childhood, earned in 2008, and holds a master’s degree in literacy with a specialist certification. She serves 12 elementary schools in the area of foundational literacy and literacy intervention and also fulfills a shared leadership role within her district, focusing on family engagement.
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Carrie Wilkerson
Committee: Vibrant Learning Experiences
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Carrie Wilkerson's passion for books and libraries has led her to a 14-year career as a library media specialist and 12 years of volunteering with the Kentucky Association of School Librarians (KASL). Wilkerson currently works at Daviess County High School and serves as KASL president.
Wilkerson holds a bachelor's degree in English from Eastern Kentucky University, master's degrees in student affairs and library science from Western Kentucky University, and a Rank 1 in literacy through Green River Regional Educational Cooperative ED Academy. In her life outside work, Wilkerson enjoys spending time with her daughters, traveling and attending concerts.
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Susan R. Strange
CGSA Project Manager
Strategic Plan Program Manager
Strategic Planning & Research
Office of the Commissioner
Phone: (502) 564-2002, ext. 4014
Email: susan.strange@education.ky.gov
300 Sower Blvd. – 5th floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
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