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President's Perspective

Students are motivation for board members

Kentucky School Advocate

April 2019

By Ronnie Holmes
KSBA President

It is my honor and pleasure to greet you through this column for the first time as president of the Kentucky School Boards Association. I am humbled to serve as president and I sincerely thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

My personal history is similar in many ways to others of the baby boom generation, along with a few twists. By the time I was born in 1950, my parents had moved from Kentucky to Michigan for work. However, three short years after I was born, doctors diagnosed my father with multiple sclerosis and my parents moved back to live on my grandparents’ farm in Graves County. It seemed that farming would be my life’s calling, but within five years, my grandfather died and the family sold the farm. I never dreamed in a million years that life would lead me to where I am today.

Education was not a top priority in my family. The only goal my three brothers and I really had was to pass from one grade to the next without getting a spanking in school. As simple as that goal might be, I am proud to say that for 12 years, I accomplished it!

Between my junior and senior years of high school, I met my wife, Rhonda. We got married when we graduated in 1968 and went on to have a daughter named Julie. Last year, Rhonda and I celebrated our golden wedding anniversary.

After we first were married, we both took classes a few miles down the highway at Murray State University. My wife went on to complete her degree and became a teacher. Like so many other young men at that time in Graves County, I took a job at the Mayfield General Tire plant, which had opened in 1960. The money was too good to pass up and so I dropped out of college.

Over the years I started going to the school where Rhonda worked for ballgames and other events. I saw how bad our schools were in those days and made up my mind to run for the school board in order to make a difference. The voters first elected me in 1985 and, thanks to those voters, now 34 years later I continue to serve as a board member.

In 1999, I became actively involved in KSBA and have been on the board of directors in one form or another ever since. Three years ago, I decided to run for president-elect and recently advanced to the presidency. This experience certainly has broadened my view of this organization and of K-12 education in Kentucky. It has been very rewarding.

Clearly, Kentucky’s public education system continues to face many challenges and even outright opposition in the new century. Even so, we know what tremendous progress we’ve made over time, despite previous challenges and opposition. What motivates me today is what first motivated me to run for the school board more than three decades ago. I hope – and believe – it’s also what motivates you: our children!

My goal for KSBA for the next two years is to continue to speak up for the majority of Kentucky families, those whose kids attend public schools. We, as members, must encourage and support Kerri Schelling and the KSBA staff for the great work they do, even as they support us in our efforts to advocate for public education. I look forward to working with you toward that vision for our Commonwealth, our families and our children.