Kentucky School Advocate
August 2022

Livingston County board member appointed to Kentucky Commission on Women 
Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed Livingston County board member and KSBA Board of Directors’ member Christine Thompson to the Kentucky Commission on Women.

Thompson, who is executive director of the Paducah/McCracken County Senior Center, was appointed to replace commission member Erika Calihan, whose term has expired. Thompson's term on the commission will end on Jan. 17, 2026.

The Kentucky Commission on Women was created in 1968 and became a part of state government in 1980. The commission’s mission is to elevate the status of women and girls in the Commonwealth, empowering them to overcome barriers to equity, and expanding opportunities to achieve their fullest potential.

Menifee County no longer under state assistance

“Under the successful leadership of Superintendent Tim Spencer and the Menifee County Board of Education, the Menifee County school district has embraced the continuous improvement framework and built capacity across the school district,” she said.

Menifee County Schools was put under state assistance in December 2014, and state management in July 2015. After a management audit in September 2019, the district transitioned to a state-assisted district.

In February, KDE conducted a new management audit and interviews with various stakeholders, including board members, school-based decision making council members, district and school administrators, staff and Education Recovery staff.

KDE determined that state assistance was no longer necessary. At the meeting, Spencer said that there has been systemic change in the district.

“We have the appropriate staff in place, the appropriate community support and the appropriate mission to continuously improve,” he said. “Despite all of the changes we have put into place, we cannot take credit for these improvements within our schools without giving credit to our students.  They have truly made this leap from state assistance possible.”

Board members exceed training requirements
KSBA Director of Board Team Development Laura Cole reported at the June 8 Kentucky Board of Education meeting that most of Kentucky’s locally elected school board members had exceeded their 2021 state-mandated training requirements.

Local board members completed 11,315 hours of training in 2021 (nearly 1,000 more than the previous year) and 85 percent exceeded minimum state training requirements, Cole said. Only four percent of board members did not meet the requirements, and most of those members were recently appointed and automatically eligible for an extension, she said. In 2021, local school board members had access to an increased number of training events, including more virtual and self-study training offerings on a growing number of topics.