Kentucky School Advocate - Take Note

Pendleton County Schools Superintendent Anthony Strong officially moved into the presidency of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents at the summer KASS conference in June, succeeding James Flynn of Simpson County Schools. Floyd County Schools chief Henry Webb was chosen as president elect, while Webster County Schools Superintendent Rachel Yarbrough was elected vice president.

 

Strong, near right with Webb, just ended his third year at Pendleton County and is starting on a new four-year contract. He previously headed Campbell County Schools for seven years and also has been a high school principal and assistant principal, and a classroom teacher. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and Rank 1 from Northern Kentucky University, where he currently is midway through a doctoral program.

 

A new booklet highlighting Kentucky school districts as leaders in energy management statewide is now available for download on KSBA’s website. Copies also have been sent to school superintendents, school board chairmen and government leaders. KSBA and the School Energy Managers Project produced the booklet, updated from a 2008 version by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. At that time there were only 12 ENERGY STAR schools in the state, compared with the current 254. To view or download the booklet, go to http://www.ksba.org/SEMP.aspx and click on “ENERGY STAR schools.”

 

Former local school board members have been appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear to fill two vacancies on the Kentucky Board of Education. Former Corbin Independent board member Debra L. Cook will fill the unexpired term of Brigitte Blom Ramsey, who resigned to take a position with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. Cook, a retired administrative law judge for unemployment claims, served on the Corbin board for 16 years, ending in 2009; her KBE appointment runs through April 14, 2016.

 

Former Shelby County board member Samuel D. Hinkle was appointed to fill the other vacancy, replacing Judy H. Gibbons of Lakeside Park, who chose not to seek reappointment. An attorney, Hinkle spent 12 years on the Shelby County board, ending his service in December 2013. Hinkle’s appointment is through April 14, 2018.

 

The two new members join Chairman Roger Marcum and board members Jonathan Parrent, Mary Gwen Wheeler, William Twyman, Nawanna Privett and Grayson Boyd, who all were reappointed by Beshear in June to new four-year terms on the 11-member panel.

A former Kentucky school superintendent with a 49-year career in secondary and postsecondary education has been honored by the board of the Kentucky Center for School Safety. The board presented Dr. Jack Rose, pictured at far right, with a plaque for exemplary service and leadership during its June 30 meeting in Frankfort; the presentation was made by Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo.

 

Rose recently retired as a professor at Murray State University, having also served as dean of its College of Education. From 1976 until 1997, he was superintendent of Calloway County Schools.

 

“It’s been a good ride,” Rose told the Center’s board. His retirement may be short-lived, as he plans to run for mayor of Murray.

 

During his career, Rose served as president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association. In his community, he chaired the local hospital board and headed the Lion’s Club. Most recently, he received the MSU Faculty Distinguished Service Award.

 

Rose was singled out by the Center for School Safety because, among other things, he spearheaded the process of making MSU’s College of Education a partner in the Center and has worked on school safety issues for the past decade.