Among the highlights of each KSBA annual conference are the special recognitions given to exceptional leaders and contributors to public education in the Commonwealth: the KSBA Friend of Education Award, the F. L. Dupree Outstanding Superintendent Award and the Warren Proudfoot Outstanding School Board Member Award.
From time to time, KSBA (and in the case of the Proudfoot Award, the co-sponsoring Kentucky PTA) makes improvements to the various processes of soliciting nominations and selecting honorees. It is important to note that KSBA staff facilitate the Friend of Education and Dupree awards processes, but are not involved in any way in the choice of the honorees.
With the 2012 conference and awards still warm memories, KSBA is asking board members and superintendents for ideas on how to enhance the current processes for these prestigious honors. Please take a few moments to review the outlines below, and if you would like to give us a suggestion, please email Brad Hughes ([email protected]) or if you wish to offer an idea anonymously, just drop Hughes a note to: Brad Hughes, KSBA, 260 Democrat Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601.
KSBA Friend of Education Award
Created by the KSBA Board of Directors to recognize an individual, family, organization, corporation or other entity for significant contributions on behalf of public education in Kentucky at the local, regional or statewide levels. The limitation on eligibility is for board members and superintendents, who may be eligible for the Dupree or Proudfoot Awards.
Process: Each fall, KSBA distributes a Call for Nominations to all local board of education members, superintendents, members of the Kentucky School Public Relations Association and the Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants. Nominations by other groups or individuals are welcome.
Nomination: An essay of 500 words or less detailing the nominee’s contributions.
Judging: A panel of members of the KSBA Board of Directors, a superintendent and a local school board member who is not a KSBA board member reviews all of the nominations, ranks each and separately returns their ranking to be tabulated by KSBA staff.
Warren Proudfoot Outstanding School Board Member Award
Created by the Kentucky PTA, co-sponsored by the Kentucky PTA and KSBA, to recognize a local school board member with at least five years’ service for distinguished leadership and community service.
Process: Each fall, KSBA and the Kentucky PTA distribute Calls for Nominations to all local PTA chapters, school board members, superintendents, members of the Kentucky School Public Relations Association and the Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants.
Nomination: Kentucky PTA uses a four-question response form, limited to six pages.
Judging: The members of the Kentucky PTA Board of Directors review all nominations and select an honoree.
F. L. Dupree Outstanding Superintendent Award
Created by KSBA and the family of former London Independent school board member and education advocate F. L. Dupree to recognize a local superintendent with at least five years’ experience for exceptional leadership, management and public engagement.
Process: Each fall, KSBA distributes a Call for Nominations to all local board of education members, superintendents, members of the Kentucky School Public Relations Association and the Kentucky Organization of Superintendents Administrative Assistants. Nominations by other groups or individuals are welcome.
Nomination: The Dupree Award involves a two-part nomination process. The original nomination is limited to a five-page form in which the nominees’ accomplishments are detailed concerning effective educational programs; school finance; student, staff and community relations; leadership; and other effective school administration practices. From the first round of nominations, a smaller group of finalists are selected, for whom an expanded packet of information is submitted, limited to 50 pages.
Judging: Like the nomination process, the judging process has two parts. All judging is done by two separate panels of 10 former Dupree Award honorees, five in each part of the process. One set of current and former superintendents judges all of the initial nominees, and a different set of Dupree recipients then judges the expanded packets for the finalists. In each case, the judges rank the nominees separately, and then provide their paperwork to KSBA staff to tabulate the results.
Again, we welcome your comments and will pass along all comments directed to the Proudfoot Award to the Kentucky PTA leadership.