Kentucky School Advocate

October 2022

KSBA board of directors holds September meeting      
KSBA’s board gathered in Frankfort for its regular quarterly meeting on Sept. 17. Agenda items included strategic plan updates, approval of policies/procedures and executive director evaluation. The board was also presented with a clean annual audit report. Lakeshore Learning Materials in nearby Midway hosted the board for its Friday evening work session during which members discussed strategies to increase director engagement.

Nominations for awards, scholarships, grants open          
During the 2022-23 school year KSBA and the KSBA Educational Foundation will award nearly $25,000 in scholarships and grants to public high school students across Kentucky. Nominations are open for our First Degree College Scholarship program and CTE Student Grant program (previously called First Degree CTE scholarships). This year KSBA has moved the nomination forms online and streamlined the process.

The First Degree College Scholarship program is expanding from four scholarships to five thanks to a gift from the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC). As a result, one of the five scholarships will be awarded to a high school senior from an OVEC member district. The original four scholarships will be awarded to students from districts statewide.

Beginning this year, all CTE awards will be $250 each, regardless of the nominee’s CTE program of study. Grants will be awarded directly to students for use toward costs associated with their CTE career pathways; assessments, course materials, travel or other expenses incurred in pursuit of CTE industry certification. KSBA also removed criteria that immediate family members of CTE student grant awardees have not previously earned postsecondary degrees.

Nominations are also open for KSBA’s 2023 School Board Member of the Year Award (BMOY). The BMOY honors the exemplary service of association members and celebrates the critical roles school boards play in the advancement of public education in Kentucky. Honorees are those who have made significant contributions to public education through service on their local boards.

Board members, superintendents, district personnel and community members may nominate individuals for this award by Dec. 16.

KSBA’s PEAK Award is returning this fall. The award, established in 1997, recognizes an innovative program designed to improve student achievement. The winner will be announced at the KSBA Annual Conference in February.

More information and nomination forms on the BMOY and PEAK awards are available at KSBA.org.