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Dear Colleagues,
I want to start by giving a sincere thank you to all of you who came to the reception on Tuesday in Frankfort.
My years of service in education have allowed me to collaborate with people in various circles, including superintendents, legislators, members of the Kentucky Board of Education, colleagues from the Kentucky Department of Education, leaders of various “K-groups,” representatives from the governor’s office, and many other educators throughout the Commonwealth. The event allowed for these circles to intersect not only with each other but also with my family, and everyone made my family feel welcome. I am grateful for those who attended and for others who have reached out over the past few months as a show of support for the work we will do together for our kids.
To add, seeing you all come together meant more than just your support during this transition period. It was seeing all of us coming together to better education, creating an educational system across the state that will allow our students to have lifelong success. Again, thank you for joining me on this journey and for being “All In” for our kids.
I attended an event last week that highlighted our Kentucky Summer Hunger Hero and the work we are doing with the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
Cathy Gallagher, manager of Kentucky’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) at KDE, was one of the 10 heroes announced by No Kid Hungry and I was thankful to be able to celebrate with her as she received her award. Cathy and her team here at KDE have created a culture of “yes” for Kentucky summer sponsors and the positive ripple effects are felt across the Commonwealth.
I know that KDE partners with many of your districts to help provide nutritious meals to your students during this time of the year. Unfortunately, we live in a reality where some of our students may find it difficult to get a nutritious and healthy meal while they are not in our schools. Having programs like the SFSP in place is incredibly important to connect children with the meals they need while school is out.
I recently learned that SFSP has served more than 3.9 million meals in May and June of 2024, a 51.65% increase in meals served compared to the same two months in 2023. The average daily attendance at feeding sites also increased: more than 25,000 people were served daily in May and more than 121,000 people were served per day in June, marking increases of 33.67% in May and 27.14% in June.
The number of sites offering meals also has increased by nearly 7% from 2023. The meals include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
This is just one of the many areas that I hope you can use this week as motivation as you lead your district, families and communities. Together, I encourage you to continue finding ways and opportunities to support the whole student year-round. I encourage you to continue being …
All In,
Robbie Fletcher
Commissioner of Education
 I am thankful to have worked and collaborated with so many during my time in education, including members of the Kentucky Board of Education.
 Thank you again to everyone who attended the reception on Tuesday.
Annual Service Academy Information Fair to be held in September at Western Kentucky University
Sen. Rand Paul is hosting his annual Service Academy Information Fair on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Knicely Conference Center at Western Kentucky University. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. CT, with the event being held from 6 to 8 p.m. CT.
The event provides interested students and parents with an opportunity to learn more about the U.S. Army, Naval, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine Academies. Representatives from each will be on hand to answer questions.
Sen. Paul has hosted the annual event since he was elected to Congress in 2010.
Interested students may RSVP to the Office of Sen. Paul at (270) 782-8303.
KDE’s Communication Skills for School Leaders Series
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Communication Skills for School Leaders Series, facilitated by Mike Rutherford, consists of three one-day conference experiences offered in Lexington at the Central Bank Center and in Bowling Green at the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.
The Lexington sessions are scheduled for Oct. 8, Nov. 19 and Dec. 10. The Bowling Green sessions are scheduled for Oct. 9, Nov. 20 and Dec. 11. Each conference experience is designed for optimal engagement, relevance and applicability. The conference series comes at no cost to participants.
Communication skills are learnable. Everyone can become a better communicator. This three-part series will engage school leaders in a rigorous and lively examination of the skills necessary to be a clearer and more compelling communicator.
Topics will include public speaking; presentation skills; interpersonal skills; difficult conversations; communicating with individuals, small groups and mixed groups; communicating with varied constituent groups; communicating with print, social and on-camera media; how to interview and be interviewed; how to advocate for a cause; how to be a keen listener; how to be more influential and persuasive; how to facilitate learning for adult professionals; and even how to talk to yourself in a more positive and productive way.
The three sessions will be interactive, engaging and filled with opportunities to practice skills with immediate feedback in a safe, supportive environment.
Registration for the Communication Skills for School Leaders Series is required by Sept. 30. Questions regarding the training should be directed to Haley Ralston.
National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program and Application for Category 1, 2 and 3
The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) – formerly the National Title I Association – selects examples of superior, federally-funded school programs for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program.
Each year, states can identify up to two Distinguished ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Schools in three possible categories:
- Category 1: Exceptional student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years.
- Category 2: Closing the achievement gap between student groups for two or more consecutive years.
- Category 3: Excellence in serving special populations of students (e.g., homeless, migrant, English Learners, etc.).
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is now accepting applications for schools for Categories 1, 2 and 3. Schools may apply for recognition in only one category, and anyone interested in applying should fill out the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program application. The application must be signed by the school principal and district superintendent by the deadline of Aug. 15.
If selected as a finalist, KDE staff will conduct a site visit to interview the principal and selected staff.
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