Kentucky School Advocate
December 2020
KSBA Board of Directors holds December meeting
KSBA’s 27-member Board of Directors held its quarterly meeting in a hybrid format on Dec. 4 in coordination with the virtual 2020 Winter Symposium.
Agenda items included review of 2020 Regional Meetings, strategic plan updates, review of association finances and various board committee reports. In keeping with KSBA tradition, the board also drew names from a pool of eligible applicants to determine the winners of the 2021 First Degree Scholarships. The names and districts of the four selected winners will be announced at the 2021 Annual Conference.
The board’s Selection Committee reported on the association’s four new at-large members and president-elect, to be presented for ratification at the 2021 Annual Conference. Outgoing members were recognized for their contributions to the association.
Celebrate School Board Recognition Month in January
January is School Board Recognition Month, a time when communities recognize the work of their locally elected school boards and highlight the important governance role they play in charting the future of our districts. KSBA will once again offer helpful resources and templates – from social media graphics to certificates and sample media releases to help districts recognize their members.
Visit ksba.org to review and download the materials. Districts are encouraged to seek out unique ways to celebrate board service. Tag KSBA on Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtag #LoveKySchoolBoards. We will share some of our favorites.
Three school board members join Pritchard Committee
Tasha Jones, a Frankfort Independent board member, Becky Burgett, a Gallatin County board member, and Jo Alyce Harper, a Trigg County board member, all have been selected to be members of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.The Prichard Committee is an independent, nonpartisan, citizen-led organization working to improve education in Kentucky – early childhood through postsecondary – so that a better quality of life for all residents will be achieved.
Jones (above left) is an unemployment appeals specialist for the state.
Burgett (right) is an employee of Procter & Gamble, a KSBA training cadre member and a member of the KSBA Educational Foundation board. She is also a court appointed special advocate.
Harper (below left) is employed by Valiant Government Services as a corporate assistant controller.
“Prichard Committee members believe public education is critical to the economic and social well-being of Kentucky,” said Brigitte Blom Ramsey, Prichard president & CEO.
Jefferson Co. Schools will not become state managed
Education Commissioner Jason Glass did not recommend to the Kentucky Board of Education that Jefferson County Schools go under state management or state assistance. Glass made the determination after reviewing the results of an audit of the district’s management which included interviews with district school board members.
The audit was the cumulation of an August 2018 settlement agreement between the state and district, and pursuant to KRS 158.785.
Glass notified the Jefferson County Board of Education and Superintendent Marty Pollio on Nov. 20 that evidence collected during the audit establishes that neither state management nor state assistance is necessary to correct any inefficiencies and ineffectiveness within the district.
He recommended the district “review the recommendations of the audit in detail and incorporate the recommendations into weekly cabinet meetings and the JCPS District Improvement Plan.”
“I have determined that there is not a pattern of a significant lack of efficiency and effectiveness in the governance and administration of JCPS,” Glass said. “I commend Dr. Pollio, his team and the Jefferson County Board of Education for their dedication to the implementation of the corrective action plan and their dedication to building sustainable systems that will provide stability to the district and allow the district to move forward.”