Kentucky School Advocate
October 2023
Kinney named interim commissioner
The Kentucky Board of Education (KBE) on Sept. 14 named Robin Fields Kinney as interim education commissioner during a special meeting.
Kinney, associate commissioner of the Office of Finance and Operations for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), assumed her new role Sept. 30 – the day after Jason Glass departed KDE.
Kinney, whose salary was set at the equivalent of $260,000, will not be a candidate for education commissioner.
“The board is confident in Robin’s dedication to public education and her experience in KDE,” said KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson.
KinneyKinney first joined KDE from 2003 to 2008, and then rejoined in 2015. She previously served as interim commissioner following the departure of former commissioner Wayne Lewis. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kentucky (UK) and a juris doctorate from UK. She is a licensed attorney in Kentucky and Florida.“I’m honored to serve in this capacity until the board is able to select a new permanent commissioner,” she said. “My goal will be to make sure the initiatives of the board and the agency continue on through this transitional period. I look forward to working alongside Team KDE as we continue to support our schools and districts.”
Kinney said the best part of her job is “getting to work with really smart and dedicated people – both at KDE and in our districts.”
In her current role, she oversees four divisions that deal with budget and financial management, resource management, district support services and school and community nutrition.
The KBE is in the process of selecting a search firm to find a permanent commissioner. Under a newly passed state law, whomever KBE selects will be subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
Bourbon County boardmember dies
TalbotBourbon County school board member Thomas “Tuck” Talbot died on Sept. 13. Talbot served as a board member for Bourbon County Schools for 31 years. He was 81.
“His commitment and dedication to the students, parents, staff members and community of Bourbon County Schools will never be forgotten. Mr. Talbot will be greatly missed by the school system and the community of which he served,” the district said in a statement.Talbot, a cattle farmer, was a graduate of Bourbon County High School, Eastern Kentucky University and Murray State University.
The family requested that donations be made in his honor to Bourbon County Schools, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Five public schools named Blue Ribbon Schools
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) has named five Kentucky public schools as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools based on their overall academic excellence.
The schools and their districts are:
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Potter Gray Elementary (Bowling Green Independent)
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Cassidy Elementary School (Fayette County)
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Farmington Elementary School (Graves County)
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Russell High School (Russell Independent)
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Drakes Creek Middle School (Warren County)
The schools are among 353 schools across the country, including two Kentucky private schools, that were recognized this year. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups.
In its 40-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program has become a trademark of excellence and a symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators.
The 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., later this school year.