0708-13 Take Note

Back on board
A Morgan County school board member has returned to the KSBA Board of Directors. Marshall Jenkins was appointed regional chairperson for the Eastern Kentucky North Region by KSBA President Durward Narramore. Jenkins, who previously served in this position, will fill the seat vacated by Brenda Sheets of Elliott County, who resigned. The appointment is effective until this year’s Fall Regional Meeting in that area.

Jenkins, a radiological technologist and adjunct instructor at Morehead State University, has been a school board member since 2003. He currently chairs the Morgan County board, as well as chairing the board of the Kids First political action committee. Jenkins holds associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MSU.

 

Short on training, short on term
The Kentucky Board of Education made good on past warnings when it voted in June to seek removal of a Southgate Independent school board member for failure to obtain the number of annual training hours required by state law.

The board has asked Attorney General Jack Conway to remove William J. Shockley, who took office in January 2011. Shockley fell short of the requirement for 12 hours of approved training in 2011, but was granted an extension by the state board. However, he again fell short for 2012.
The number of training hours is based on years of service, as outlined in state law. Last year, 768 of the state’s 869 local board members exceeded their minimum required number of hours.

New KASS President
Simpson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim Flynn became president of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents during the group’s summer meeting in Louisville in June. He succeeds Gallatin County Schools chief Dr. Dorothy “Dot” Perkins.

Flynn is completing his 10th year as superintendent in Simpson County, where his focus has been on college and career readiness. Flynn serves on the boards of the Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Authority and also is an active board member with the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative. He helps train new superintendents and serves as a superintendent mentor. 

Also during the KASS summer meeting, Pendleton County Schools Superintendent R. Anthony Strong moved up as president-elect of the organization, putting him in line for the presidency, while Floyd County Schools Superintendent Dr. Henry Webb was elected vice president.

First for Kids First
Owensboro Independent school board Vice Chairman John Blaney and Taylor County Schools Superintendent Roger Cook are recipients of this year’s KSBA Kids First Award for legislative advocacy. The awards were presented during KSBA’s Summer Leadership Institute July 12-13.

Blaney (pictured at far left), who took office in 2007, was honored for his work in spreading the message about KSBA’s policy and budgetary goals with legislators. He is a retired principal and teacher who has hosted two regional meetings for school board legislative contacts and their respective legislators, giving them the opportunity to interact.  Blaney himself is the legislative contact for his board.

Cook, in his fourth year as the Taylor County Schools chief, was recognized for the outstanding relationships he has built with his local legislators and his willingness to contact them in support of KSBA legislative concerns. He also is a member of the governor’s Transforming Education Task Force. With his zero dropout policy, Cook most recently was a natural supporter of raising the dropout age to 18.