Kentucky School Advocate
September 2023
Changes in KBE leadership, membershipThe Aug, 2 meeting of the Kentucky Board of Education was the first for new member Julie Pile, who is a former Boone County school board member.
“It’s truly an honor to serve on our state board of education,” Pile said. “I’m not an educator, I’m a parent and I believe in being a voice for all of our kids across the entire state.”
PilePile is the second former school board member on the board, joining former Middlesboro Independent board member Jamie Bowling.It was also the first board meeting for Diana Woods, former superintendent of Campbellsville Independent as well as the board’s two new nonvoting teacher and student members - Christian County educator Alissa Riley and Whitley County junior R.J. Osborne. Also at the meeting, the board named Sharon Porter Robinson as chair and Lu Young as vice-chair, flipping their leadership roles.
Young said the switch in roles brings stability to the board and the department as Jason Glass’s tenure ends and the board begins it search for a new education commissioner.
The move allows the board to “continue making forward motion and progress rather than sitting back and waiting,” she said.
Board training hours
KSBA’s Director of Board Team Development Debra Webb reported school board members’ training hours for 2022 to the Kentucky Board of Education at its August meeting. State law requires local school board members to complete training each year.
Webb told the board that 93% of board members completed their state-mandated training in 2022, for a total of 10,922 hours on topics such as effective governance, literacy, facilities planning, equity and more. Eighty-two percent of those members exceeded the training requirements.
There were 67 members who did not complete their state-mandated training; however most of those board members were either appointed midway through the year, did not run for election in 2022 or were not re-elected. KBE approved an extension for 15 members who continue to serve but did not meet their required hours.
New KSBA representative joins KCSS board
BradleyThe Kentucky Center for School Safety (KCSS) held its board of directors meeting Aug. 22. The meeting was the first for Dani Bradley, KSBA’s representative to the board. Bradley, the former Woodford County board chair, was appointed to the KCSS board by Gov. Andy Beshear.Bradley, who leads project development for Trace Creek Construction, replaced Jessamine County board member Denise Bailey Adams whose term expired. She will serve until May 2027.As chair of the Woodford board, Bradley organized the first joint session of fiscal court, both city councils and the board of education in September 2022 for a meeting to discuss school safety.
Beshear also made two more recent appointments to the board: Jeremy Roach, Caldwell County Schools superintendent, and Patricia Glass, director of nursing services for Jessamine County Schools.
The 15-member KCSS board is made up of representatives from the Kentucky Department of Education, KSBA, Kentucky Association of School Administrators, Kentucky Association of School Resources Officers, Kentucky State School Security Marshal and other education and law enforcement organizations.