Kentucky School Advocate

June 2024

Staff report

The Boone County Schools board has selected Jeff Hauswald as the district’s next superintendent. Hauswald was previously the superintendent of Monroe County School Corporation in Bloomington, Indiana, where he accepted a buyout earlier this year with two years remaining on his contract. 

Hauswald grew up on a farm in Indiana and credits his father, who was a science teacher, with his love of education. His father has also served as a school board member. 

An Indiana University graduate, Hauswald majored in mathematics with the goal of becoming a math teacher. As his teaching career began to progress, a superintendent who became his mentor identified leadership qualities in him and put him on a leadership track. He earned his doctorate from Indiana University in 2012. 

Hauswald said he is proud of the work he accomplished while serving as Monroe County superintendent. He led two successful referendums to raise taxes for the district. The referendums raised $250 million to implement universal early childhood education and took beginning teacher salaries from $40,000 to $60,000. 

“I try to be a servant leader, positional authority doesn’t get you anywhere,” he said. “The reality is you get power by giving it away. Our teachers and administrators are the experts in their fields of work. They don’t work for me, I believe in working with my staff and for the students, that’s how together (we) accomplish the goal of accelerated learning opportunities for our students.” 

Hauswald also served as president of the Indiana Urban Schools Association for five years. Before becoming Monroe superintendent, he served as superintendent of the Kokomo School Corporation from 2010 to 2021. 

The LaRue County Schools board has hired Adryanne Warren, the district’s middle school principal, as the incoming superintendent. 

Warren has served in numerous roles within the district, beginning as a 5th-grade teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, then curriculum specialist at LaRue County Middle School.

LaRue County Schools Board of Education Chair Price Smith said that Warren’s time at the middle school was marked with success. 

“She is very well-liked and respected by her peers and by the teachers and staff under her charge,” Smith said. “She possesses the ability to support her faculty, set high expectations for the students in her building all the while maintaining a healthy work/life balance. In addition to her education experience, she worked in the private sector for a number of years in the financial field.”

In addition to working for the district, Warren attended LaRue County Schools. 

“As a graduate of LaRue County Schools, I feel an incredible sense of honor and duty taking on this role. LaRue County is a community I am proud to be from and a place I want to invest my career to improve for generations to come,” she said. “For the students of LaRue County Schools, I want to provide them with the very best education in preparation for life after graduation. For the staff, I am here to work alongside them as we pursue that goal. Finally, for our community, I want them to be proud of who we are, together, as a Hawk Family.”

The Ludlow Independent Board of Education has hired Jason Steffen as the district’s next superintendent.

“Jason’s experience and familiarity within the district is unmatched and we feel very confident in his ability to maintain our status as one of the premier independent school districts in northern Kentucky,” said Wesley Dorger, board chairman. 

For the past three years, Steffen has served as the district’s director of Teaching and Learning. Prior to that, he led Ludlow’s elementary school as principal for 10 years. With 22 years in education, Steffen is also a former social studies teacher and assistant principal in a neighboring district. He earned a bachelor’s in history and education from Northern Kentucky University, a master’s degree and Rank I in education administration from Xavier University and an education doctorate from the University of Cumberlands.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected to lead Ludlow Independent Schools into the future. We have a wonderful school system with so many great things happening. I am excited to continue our mission of building tomorrow, maintaining the top rankings our schools presently hold,” he said. “The students, staff and Ludlow community hold a very special place in my heart, and I will work diligently to do what is best for them.”

Steffen has been involved in planning the district’s $28 million renovation. 

“His knowledge of the intense renovation project was a huge point of emphasis for us as a board. We have the luxury of knowing Jason and knowing that he is a dynamic multitasker,” Dorger said. “He has been heavily involved in the project already. I think he’s a perfect fit for the district.

Bill Thorpe, the superintendent of Trigg County Schools, has been named the new superintendent of Marshall County Schools.

Thorpe has lived in Marshall County his whole life and is a graduate of Marshall County High School. 

“When I had the opportunity to come back home and come to Marshall County, I thought this would just be the crown jewel in my education career,” Thorpe said, according to the Tribune Courier. “There’s no other place I would have applied for or left Trigg County for, other than Marshall County.”

He started his teaching career in 1992 at Livingston Central High School. He spent 11 years teaching at Livingston Central, Reidland High School, Benton Middle School and Marshall County High School.

In 1999, Thorpe left to work in the private sector, but returned to education eight years later. 

Thorpe was hired in July 2012 as principal at Lyon County Elementary. In July 2014, he transitioned back to Marshall County Schools as an assistant principal at the high school. One year later, Thorpe became the director of Pupil Personnel in Marshall County before becoming Trigg County superintendent in 2020.

Thorpe graduated from Murray State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in history. He also holds a Master of Arts in special education and Master of Arts in administrative leadership.

Thorpe told the newspaper he was looking forward to returning to the district where five generations of his family have attended and where his great-grandmother taught. 

“I’m excited … and honored really as much as anything to be back and be chosen to be here,” he said. 

The Mayfield Independent school board has named Mayfield High School principal Billy Edwards as the district’s next superintendent. 

“I would like to thank the board members for having the confidence and faith in me to lead our district,” Edwards said. “I also want to thank Mr. Henderson for his last nine years of leadership he has provided for our schools. Mayfield Independent is filled with high achieving students surrounded by a supportive community.”

Edwards has spent his career at Mayfield Independent, starting as a special education teacher at Mayfield High School. In 2005, he moved to Mayfield Middle School for 11 years where he served as a health and physical education teacher as well as the middle school athletic director, head football coach and high school assistant basketball coach.  

In 2016, Edwards was named principal of Mayfield High School. During his tenure there, he implemented the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system and increased the school’s college and career readiness numbers while maintaining the school’s high graduation rate. 

Edwards has a Bachelor of Science in health/physical education and a Master of Arts in education with certification in learning and behavior disorders and a Master of Arts in school administration. He also holds director of pupil personnel certification, supervisor of instruction certification and school superintendent certification. 

His goals include maintaining and improving academic achievement across the district, exploring and continuing programs that will enrich the academic journey for each student, as well as continue to implement a common language of college and/or career readiness in the district.  

“I am excited to get started and assure all of our stakeholders that all of the decisions that are made will focus on what is best for our students,” he said. 

Terra Hancock has been selected by the Union County Schools board as the district’s next superintendent. 

Hancock has served in the district for 19 years as a classroom teacher, school counselor, principal and administrator. She currently serves as the assistant superintendent of Secondary Instruction and director of Pupil Personnel.  

“Dr. Hancock has a solid track record of success and demonstrates a firm commitment to our students, staff and community,” said board chair Jennifer Buckman. “We believe she is the right person to lead our district forward and will always do what it takes to keep the school system strong and successful for our kids.”  

In addition to her work with Union County Schools, Hancock is a member of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators and serves as a mentor for the Kentucky Women in Educational Leadership program. She earned her Doctor of Education degree from Oakland City University.   

“I am deeply honored and immensely grateful to have been selected as the next superintendent of Union County Public Schools,” she said. “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the board members for their confidence and trust.”

Current Superintendent Patricia Sheffer, who is retiring after 13 years as the district’s leader, said Hancock is the right person to succeed her. 

“As Dr. Hancock embarks on this new chapter, I am confident that she will continue to lead with a high level of excellence, compassion and dedication that she has consistently demonstrated,” Sheffer said. “Her impact on our Union County students, staff, families and community will undoubtedly be profound, and I am excited to see the transformative change she will bring to Union County Public Schools.”

The Shelby County Schools board has selected Joshua Matthews as the district’s next superintendent. Matthews has been the chief academic officer at Logan County Schools since 2022. 

“We welcome Dr. Matthews and his family to our district,” said board chair Brenda Jackson. “He has a solid record for improving test scores and presented a plan to continue the important work we have begun in Shelby County.”

In his role at Logan County, Matthews oversaw and achieved many initiatives that Shelby County Schools has been working toward. He created a new gifted program tailored to the needs of gifted and talented students. Shelby County recently began a reboot of its Gifted and Talented program. 

“Shelby County is renowned for its student-centered and innovative approach to education. Every decision places students at the forefront; from the board of education to the teachers and staff, the students are at the center of the decision. This dedication drew me to Shelby County,” Matthews said. 

Matthews has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of the Cumberlands (UC). He also received both his master’s in teaching and his education specialist certification from UC. He has several additional education certifications including director of pupil personnel, supervisor of instruction, principal and superintendent certification.

Matthews also has a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Western Kentucky University and a master’s in business administration from Morehead State University.

Before becoming chief academic officer at Logan County, he served as a principal and assistant principal.  He is also an adjunct professor at both UC and Campbellsville University.

Matthews said he will continue current Superintendent Sally Sugg’s mission to make the district a school system, not a system of schools.

“Dr. Sugg talked about the one-district-one vision, and I believe that for us to be successful as a district, we must function in that manner,” he said. 

The Jessamine County Schools board has hired Sara Crum as the district’s next superintendent. Crum is the district’s current director of operations. 

Jessamine County board Chairman Steven Scrivner said in a release that the board received 16 applications and selected three candidates for interviews.

“We had three outstanding finalists to choose from and that speaks volumes about how well our district is viewed throughout the state. In the end, Sara Crum was the perfect candidate to build on the foundation laid by the superintendents before her and take us to even greater heights,” he said. “Her passion for student success is infectious.”

Crum’s 25-year career began as a teacher at Nicholasville Elementary School. She was later curriculum resource administrator and then principal of the school. For the last three years, Crum has served as the director of operations, where she has helped in managing the daily operations of the district’s 13 schools.

“I really am just completely honored and blessed to have this opportunity. I could not love our district any more than I do. I feel dedicated and committed to doing everything I can to keep our district moving in the right direction,” Crum said, according to FOX 56-TV.

Crum earned a Bachelor of Arts in education and a master’s in education from Georgetown College. She received a master’s degree in instructional leadership from Eastern Kentucky University and a school superintendent certification from the University of Kentucky. 

Clinton County: Wayne Ackerman 

Danville Independent: Ron Ballard 

Logan County: Dan Costellow 

Owensboro Independent: Wendy Duvall 

Dayton Independent: Rick Wolf 

Lewis County: Michael Melton 

Daviess County: Charles Broughton 

Grant County: Todd Moody 

Pike County: Freddie Bowling 

LaRue County Superintendent David Raleigh, who announced earlier this year that he was retiring from the district, has taken a new superintendent role.

Raleigh will become the superintendent of the Jamestown School Department in Rhode Island, according to the Jamestown Press.

Jamestown is about 40 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island. Raleigh was appointed to the position in March, according to the paper.

The Jamestown district has 600 students, two schools, 96 employees and an annual budget of $16.5 million. The position is a 140-day position with Raleigh working about three days a week during the academic year and two days a week in the summer, according to the paper.