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15 July/August Advocate

Kentucky School Advocate

July/August 2015

Net savings

The nation’s first net zero public school – in Warren County, Kentucky – has lived up to its hype. With five year’s worth of data behind them, district leaders can prove that this school is cheaper to operate and in fact literally generates money.

Retaining knowledge

A group of primary students in Bullitt County schools worked through much of the summer to stay on grade level and avoid retention. The intervention is an extension of the district’s Saturday program during the school year, which has seen early success.

Inappropriate

That’s a word that has been cropping up all too often in news stories about relationships between students and school employees. A new task force has been launched that will look into ways to prevent and combat these incidents.

Kentucky safe schools conference:

Columbine lessons

The retired principal of Columbine High School, site of the horrific 1999 school shooting rampage, shared insights with attendees at the Safe Schools and Communities Conference in June. But the lessons are not the obvious ones.

First response

The way school leaders respond to an initial bomb threat will determine whether the first threat will be followed by others, a security expert and Kentucky state trooper said in a clinic on the subject.

KSBA Summer Leadership Institute:

Tech time

Are your schools still mostly analog in a digital age? The plenary speaker at this year’s institute urged school board members to lead the way in ensuring their students have the right technology to prepare for their future.

Responding to the rhetoric

A researcher who has spent 15 years focusing on school boards gave institute attendees some ammunition for their critics, along with a list of qualities they can use to become more effective as board members individually and as a group.

U of L exhibit leaves Shelby students starry-eyed

View past issues

In this issue

President’s Perspective

Richardsville Elementary School in Warren County, with its solar panel array in the foreground, was the first net-zero public school in the country when it opened its doors in October 2010. Five years later, the school is generating more electricity than it uses, and that is due largely to its design, as well as the students and staff who operate the building at peak performance.

About the magazine

The Kentucky School Advocate is published 10 times a year by the Kentucky School Boards Association. Copies are mailed to KSBA members as part of their association membership. One additional issue each year is published exclusively on KSBA’s website.

Executive Director

Mike Armstrong

Member Support/Communications Services Director

Brad Hughes

Advocate Editor

Madelynn Coldiron

Publications Coordinator

Jennifer Wohlleb

Account Executive

Mary Davis

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