Kentucky School Advocate
April 2021

Staff report

KSBA’s 27-member board of directors gathered in Bowling Green March 19-20 for a socially-distanced orientation of new members, retreat and quarterly meeting – the first full meeting to be offered in-person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event also marked the first full meeting since February’s ratification of new members and an officer. Davonna Page, Russellville Independent board member, gaveled in as president for the first time while Karen Byrd of Boone County took part in her first meeting since being ratified by membership as the association’s president-elect.  

Page, Byrd and immediate past president Ronnie Holmes of Graves County led the group in orientation that included an association history, governance and committee summary and introductions with KSBA unit staff.

For the retreat portion of the weekend, board members took part in a special learning activity. Florence Tandy, chief executive officer of Leadership Bridges, facilitated an engaging training on best practices of board governance.

Following dinner, KSBA board members were joined by Michael Morrow, archivist and curator of the Struggles for Emancipation and Equality in Kentucky museum in Russellville. Morrow provided a presentation on the life of Alice Allison Dunnigan, an often-overlooked Kentucky civil rights icon, journalist, author and educator.

The Saturday morning board meeting included a review of association finances, committee reports and a discussion of legislative priorities.