Kentucky School Advocate
November 2022
Hesketh receives Kelly Award
Mike Hesketh, president and owner of Superb IPC, was presented with the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE’s) Kelly Award for Business and Education Partnership on Oct. 12.
The Kelly Award honors Joseph W. Kelly, who served as a member of KBE from 1989 until 1998 and provided exceptional leadership as its chair for seven years. The award is given in the fall of each year to a Kentucky businessperson or business who has partnered with a public school or district to provide outstanding leadership that promotes school improvement and student success.
“I’m very honored and I can’t begin to say how I could be singled out like this amongst the many people in the state that I know are working hard on these things,” Hesketh said. “So, to be singly recognized like this is an incredible honor. I wish I could do more to help other business leaders experience what I’ve experienced. I have no doubt that if they did, they too would be eager to participate.”
As president of Superb IPC since 2010, Hesketh has been instrumental in creating connections between the Shelby County business community and Shelby County Schools with the goal of fulfilling the competencies set forth in the district’s Profile of a Graduate. He also participates on KBE’s Portrait of a Learner/Graduate subcommittee, which was created to evaluate what should be in KBE’s portrait of a learner/graduate and how that can support and enhance the profiles that Kentucky public school districts already have adopted.
Mike Hesketh, center, president and owner of Superb IPC, was presented with KBE’s Kelly Award for Business and Education Partnership. Presenting the award were Commissioner of Education Jason E. Glass, from left, and KBE Board Chair Lu S. Young. (Provided by KDE)Over the past six years, Hesketh has established himself as a strong advocate for the Shelby County educational community. As a Shelby County business owner, he serves as the community co-leader of Shelby County’s Local Laboratory of Learning, the Shelby County representative on the KentuckianaWorks regional workforce board and has joined the advisory board for the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative Head Start program.“He is an integral part of everything we do,” said Superintendent Sally Sugg.
The Kentucky Board of Education during its Oct. 12 meeting approved new charter school regulations required by House Bill 9, the charter school law passed during the 2022 legislative session.
Commissioner Jason Glass said he believes HB 9 is unconstitutional and if a lawsuit is filed, the Kentucky Department of Education will not defend it, instead deferring to Attorney General Daniel Cameron, he said.
The regulations which were previously approved by the Local Superintendents Advisory Council, mostly mirror the statute. Under the new law, districts would be required to transfer a portion of both state funds and the local tax revenue they receive to a charter school.
The KBE approved both emergency and permanent regulations because the statute includes deadlines that allow, and, in some areas, mandate that charter schools open by next school year.
The board members, much like the LSAC members, said they believe the law is unconstitutional but voted for the regulations because they are required to promulgate regulations under state law.
“I have grave concerns about the constitutionality, as well as the feasibility of these regulations as a matter of practical implementation, especially as they relate to funding,” KBE Chair Lu Young said before the vote.
KBE member and former Boone County Superintendent Randy Poe echoed similar concerns.
“I think that these regulations unfortunately take local control out of the picture, and we have locally elected board members to make these decisions and they should be the ones making those decisions,” Poe said as he cast his vote. “But … we have a responsibility to do our part and then ultimately the courts will decide.”