Kentucky School Advocate
May 2023

KSBA recognizes KOSAA KUP winner  
KSBA Immediate Past President Davonna Page attended the April 13 Barren County school board meeting to recognize Superintendent’s Administrative Assistant Stephanie Spence as the first winner of the KOSAA KUP (Knowledge, Understanding and Passion) Award.

Spence, has been a member of the Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants (KOSAA) for 10 years, serving as an officer and a mentor. She is also the organization’s president-elect and was presented the award in February at KOSAA’s conference.

Photo cutline: Barren County Superintendent’s Administrative Assistant Stephanie Spence (center) was recognized for winning the inaugural KOSAA KUP Award. Also pictured are Davonna Page, KSBA’s Immediate Past President and Russellville board member, and Bo Matthews, Barren County superintendent. Provided by Barren County Schools

Fayette Co. physical education teacher wins national honor          
Jordan Manley, a physical education teacher for the STEAM Academy (Fayette County), has won the SHAPE America 2023 National High School Physical Education (PE) Teacher of the Year award.

The Society of Health and Physical Educators, otherwise known as SHAPE America, provides support for teachers in the health and physical education fields and sets guidelines and standards for physical education.

Manley, who has been at the STEAM Academy since 2015, said he’s motivated by the concept that physical education should be an “embodied experience” for students, and he believes a child’s physical education should revolve around their identity as opposed to sports-specific skills and fitness.

“My view is that if we are developing students with a movement identity and a positive relationship with their physical activity choices, then fitness and skill-related outcomes will develop as they engage with the broad movement cultures our world offers,” he said.

Manley previously earned SHAPE America’s Kentucky High School PE Teacher of the Year award in 2021.

Henry County board receives waiver to expand
The Kentucky Board of Education at its April 12 meeting approved a plan from the Henry County Board of Education that allows the district to expand its facilities.The district wants to expand its campus to an adjacent property, but it needed a waiver because an oil pipeline runs through the property the district wants to acquire. Representatives with KDE’s Office of Finance and Operations told the board the pipeline cannot be moved, but it does not pose any hazards. A second waiver allows the district to move up its plans for a new central office in its district facility plan.

The project needed to be moved to a higher priority level to qualify for funds from the state’s School Facilities Construction Commission. Henry County Schools Superintendent Jim Masters said the school has several other plans for the new property it plans to acquire, but a lack of funding could delay those projects. The current central office was built in 1902 and its condition prevents staff members from using the second floor or basement.

“We’ve got to do something different,” said Masters.

Additional plans for expansion include a day care for the children of teachers, new athletic fields and an agriculture garden.