Kentucky School Advocate

February 2025

The state’s largest annual gathering of elected officials returns to Louisville Feb. 21-23 for KSBA’s 2025 Annual Conference. Each year, the event draws more than 1,000 school board members, administrators and education industry leaders to the Galt House hotel. This year’s event will amplify the association’s 2025 theme: “Public Education: Road to Greatness.”

This year, marks the first opportunity to attend Annual Conference for the 119 school board members elected in November. While attendees will have plenty of topics from which to choose, nearly a dozen sessions throughout the conference weekend are specifically tailored toward members in their first term of service. 

“Annual Conference is one fantastic way for our newer members to connect with their peers and complete most, if not all, of their state-mandated board training requirements for the year,” said KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling. “Plus, our conferences really set newly elected members up for success as they acclimate to board service.”

The benefits of attending Annual Conference, however, are not lost on longer-serving members, she added.

“We have school board members who have been coming to conference for the last 10, 20, 30 years and they always learn something new that they can take back and apply in their districts,” Schelling said. 

This year’s conference includes more than 50 clinic and preconference sessions, three keynote presenters (see next page) and an expansive trade show. The weekend also represents 72 hours of non-stop networking opportunities.

“Imagine the excitement of the first day of school and a family reunion rolled into one,” Schelling said. “I don’t know how else to describe the energy of KSBA’s Annual Conference.”

Student involvement is always at the heart of KSBA conferences – figuratively and literally. Attendees will once again be treated to student performances during general sessions, while student-designed banner artwork will be on display. Jefferson County high school students will be on hand for much of the weekend to help members use the KSBA Events mobile conference app. During Saturday’s luncheon, four deserving Kentucky high school students will be honored on stage as recipients of KSBA’s 2025 First Degree Scholarships. 

Annual Conference plays an important role in the transition of association leadership. Following the Saturday luncheon and awards presentations, KSBA President Karen Byrd (Boone County) will call to order the annual business meeting of association membership. Candidates for four director-at-large seats and president-elect, each vetted by a committee of KSBA directors and members, will be presented for ratification. Byrd will also “pass the gavel” to KSBA’s incoming president, Eminence Independent school board member Pamela Morehead. Learn more about KSBA’s slate of candidates for ratification on pages 14-15.

#KSBA25 coincides with two other conferences critical to board team success. The Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants (KOSAA) will hold its 20th annual meeting on Friday, Feb. 21 while the Council of School Board Attorneys (CSBA) will host its Annual Winter Meeting Feb. 21-22. 

If your board attorney and/or your superintendents’ administrative assistant are not yet members of CSBA and KOSAA, contact KSBA or visit KSBA.org for more information. 

As you begin to map out your #KSBA25 journey, here are three pitstops to make along the way. 

This year’s schedule includes five different preconference tracks on Friday morning, Feb. 21. Participants have their pick of sessions on finance, school safety and mental health. Preconference also offers a three-part session designed for new school board members, giving them the opportunity to earn state-mandated training hours in the topics of ethics, finance and superintendent evaluation. 

This year, KSBA also welcomes representatives from the Kentucky Department of Education to present a preconference session on the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding distribution program. Experts will provide an overview of SEEK calculation and statutory requirements, attendance, transportation, taxes, nickels, assessments, descriptions of data used in the SEEK calculation (including methods of data collected and verification) and challenges of the SEEK system. 

For the third year in a row, KSBA has partnered with the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education (CTE) to offer a student showcase of interactive exhibits highlighting high school career pathways across the state. Back by popular demand, the showcase will run from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. (ET) on Friday of conference, featuring 24 different CTE programs, from automotive and agriculture to animal science and early childhood education. Participating CTE students will be recognized on stage during the conference’s opening session. 

Attendees can earn training credit by visiting the student showcase, so arrive early!

This year’s sold-out trade show once again features exhibits from organizations that serve school districts: facilities management, architects, financial advisers, education and more. The trade show area is open from 8 a.m. Friday until 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Whether it’s the Friday evening networking reception or Saturday morning’s continental breakfast, take the opportunity to cruise through the trade show area to fuel up and find answers from 80 education industry leaders. KSBA’s vendor passport (provided at conference) allows attendees the chance to enter to win prizes. 

In addition to more than 45 clinic sessions, this year’s conference will once again offer a talented trio of compelling keynote presenters. Meet this year’s lineup:

Former senior computer engineer turned keynote speaker Lasada Pippen wakes up each day excited for the opportunity to help others. 

“For me personally, it’s much easier to wake up when you know why,” he said. 

In fact, Pippen inspires other people to find their why so that what they do becomes more powerful and their how becomes easier. The highly sought presenter leaves audiences energized, engaged, encouraged, equipped and empowered. 

About the session: We all know that all those who work in public education play a vital role in shaping the future of our society. However, it is no secret that the challenges they face can often lead to burnout and exhaustion. On the brink of a breakdown, it is important to acknowledge that stress, depression and anxiety are all real. However, there is hope for how to emerge more resilient than ever before. In this powerful yet light-hearted keynote address, Pippen shares inspiring stories, secrets and key insights for maintaining resiliency in education to go from burnout to breakthrough.

Clint Swindall is the president and CEO of Verbalocity, Inc., a personal development company specializing in leadership development programs, training and consulting. For more than two decades, Swindall has also traveled the world delivering presentations in an entertaining and inspirational style to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and trade associations. His clients include 7-Eleven, American Express, BMW, Valero Energy, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Jack in the Box and Keller Williams. 

Swindall is the author of three books on leadership and is chairman of the board of GVTC Communications, a leading provider of communication services. He is founder and chairman of the board of the First Chance Foundation, dedicated to assisting abandoned, abused and neglected children.

About the session: Our mindset matters. It profoundly impacts our lives because our thinking pattern determines our inner dialogue, our inner dialogue determines our efforts, and our efforts determine our success. In this keynote address, Swindall will discuss our role in creating a culture of engagement through our mindset and share simple steps we can take to overcome negativity in our lives.

Statistically, Josh Shipp should be dead, in jail or homeless, but his success is living proof of the power of one caring adult. 

A former at-risk foster kid turned youth advocate, Shipp is renowned for his A&E documentary TV series that follows his work with youth and families. He has written two bestsellers and is a regular contributor to national news programs. Shipp has spoken live at events for parents, educators and social workers — more than two million people. 

About the session: As a foster kid, a class clown and a troublemaker, Shipp was written off, kicked out and every adult’s worst nightmare. Until one caring adult changed everything. In his trademark humorous yet authoritative style, Shipp delivers practical ways that audiences can make a difference in a kid’s life. He knows what it’s like to be left behind by almost everyone and yet, thanks to just one caring adult, he turned his life around and learned to thrive. Equal parts empathy, instruction and inspiration, Shipp will move you to action.