Beyond the Backpack
Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year!
Back-to-school season brings familiar sights, new backpacks, fresh notebooks, sharpened pencils and communities generously providing school supplies for students. These efforts make a meaningful difference, and every child deserves to start the year with the tools they need to learn.
But what if we challenged ourselves to think beyond the backpack? That is exactly what my colleague and former principal, Michelle Pennix, is currently challenging the community to do.
Many students arrive at school carrying needs that can't be packed into a bookbag. They may be facing anxiety, grief, food insecurity, family challenges or simply a need for connection and encouragement. These are the needs that often shape a student's ability to learn, belong and succeed.
School counselors are uniquely positioned to lead this conversation.
Leading beyond the backpack means helping our schools and communities recognize that supporting students extends beyond school supplies. It means encouraging businesses, families, faith communities and local organizations to ask, "What else can we do to help students thrive?" The answer might be mentoring a student, donating hygiene items or snacks, providing professional clothing, sharing career experiences or simply becoming a caring, consistent presence in a young person's life.
In Service,
Michelle Sircy
School Counselor Summit for 2026-2027
We are pleased to announce the dates for the upcoming 2026–2027 School Counselor Summits, designed intentionally with school counselors in mind.
The dates for the Summits are Oct. 1, Dec. 9 and Feb. 10. All sessions are virtual, held from 9 a.m.-noon ET, and provide three Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) hours for each Summit you attend (following the completion of an evaluation).
Mark your calendars and register now to ensure you don’t miss this valuable and timely professional development opportunity.
U.S. Senate Youth Program
Applications for 2026 U.S. Senate Youth Program now open
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), a merit-based program that takes the most outstanding high school students from around the country to Washington, D.C., for a week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it.
Two Kentucky high school students will be selected this fall as delegates and will each receive a $12,500 college scholarship in the name of the U.S. Senate, with encouragement to continue coursework in history, government and public affairs.
Students will attend Washington Week, scheduled for March 6-13, and participate in meetings and briefings with high-level officials.
USSYP applications are available online and are due Sept. 12.
The U.S. Senate Youth Program was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and funded by The Hearst Foundations. The 2026-2027 program details are available on the U.S. Senate Youth Program website.
For more information, email awards@education.ky.gov or call KDE Academic Program Manager Rosalind Turner at (502) 564-2000, ext. 4626. Additional information can also be found on the KDE U.S. Senate Youth Program website.
 Transcript Reminders
Please remember to watch for final 2025-2026 transcripts requests through Parchment and release these as soon as possible for your students. Most universities don’t schedule students into classes until there is a final transcript. Your help makes a difference as your students’ transition to the next phase of their education. Final transcripts must include both graduation status and date for universities to accept as final.
Transcripts are free to 2025-2026 graduates through Aug. 30; after that date, students are considered “alumni” and must pay to receive their transcripts.
Please ensure your school(s) send all transcripts in both .xml and .pdf formats through Parchment. One university reported that only a third of transcripts arrive in .xml, and some schools send inconsistent formats. Many Kentucky universities now use Parchment Premium, which matches records and automates processing — speeding up admission decisions and dual credit enrollment. PDFs must be loaded manually, causing delays. Help students receive faster decisions by releasing transcripts in the .xml format. The Release XML eTranscript to Parchment process is outlined in the eTranscript Data Standard.
The End-of-Year electronic transcripts (eTranscripts training) was recorded and is available on-demand. We’ve heard from universities that it has made a difference. We send thanks to each of you for all you do to help your students have a smooth transition to the next chapter of their life.
For more information on eTranscripts, visit the KDE eTranscript page.
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