Kentucky School Advocate

July/August 2019

 

KSBA golf scramble to benefit First Degree scholarship
KSBA will host a golf scramble Sept. 20 at Old Bridge Golf Club in Danville. KSBA members, superintendents and district central office staff may play at a special rate of $50. Registration includes 18 holes, cart fee, snacks, refreshments, lunch, gift bags and prizes. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Proceeds support the First Degree Scholarship program, awarding aid to Kentucky public high school seniors who will be the first in their immediate families to receive a postsecondary degree. More info can be found on our website.

 

Boards can now fill vacancies
Thanks to a new state law, school boards can now fill their own vacancies. House Bill 22, which passed in the 2019 legislative session, changed the responsibility of filling a school board vacancy from the commissioner of education to the remaining members of the board. Boards now have 60 days to appoint a new member. If the board does not appoint a new member in that time, the commissioner would appoint someone to the seat. KSBA has created resources to help districts through the process, which you can find online.

 

Board of Directors gathers for June meeting
The association’s board of directors met at KSBA headquarters on June 21-22. At Friday’s work session, the board discussed KSBA’s brand identity and mission statement. Saturday’s quarterly board meeting included the approval of KSBA dues, staff salary schedule and the budget for fiscal year 2020. Members were updated on strategic planning, regional meeting dates, data security efforts, KSBA golf scramble, summer book study and the association’s 50th PEAK Award, which will be awarded this fall. 

Regional chair elections
This fall, six regional chair seats on KSBA’s board of directors will be up for election. Regional chairs serve as liaisons for fall regional meetings and as members of the association’s board of directors. KSBA has distributed nomination info to districts. Visit ksba.org/RegionalMeetings.aspx for regional meeting information, including regional chair nomination forms and deadlines. The Fifth, Eastern Kentucky North, First and Upper Kentucky River regions all have August nomination deadlines.  

 

Former KSBA president dies
Longtime Whitley County board of education member Delmar Mahan (pictured at right) died July 5 after a long illness. Mahan served for 27 years, including 19 years as board chair, before he resigned in October 2017. In 2014, Mahan received the Warren Proudfoot Award for Outstanding School Board Member. 

Mahan joined the Whitley County board in 1991, two years after the district was put under state management. The district then underwent a significant transformation and became a high-performing district. 

 

Mahan served on KSBA’s board of directors for 10 years, including a term as the association’s 41st president from 2009-11. Mahan often spoke of his love for public education and was an advocate for early childhood education and technology in the classroom. 

 

At his retirement from the board, the local newspaper quoted Mahan as saying, “Public education is the key in Kentucky. I don’t care about anything else. Public education works.” 

Mahan requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Jimmy Crawford Education Memorial Fund which awards 10 scholarships each year to Whitley County High School seniors. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 1206, Corbin, KY 40702. 

 

Photo:  Former KSBA President Delmar Mahan received the Proudfoot Award for Outstanding School Board Member in 2014.