Matthew Powell, the head custodian at Graves County Central Elementary School, was selected to facilitate a roundtable discussion with fellow education support professionals from across Kentucky, along with Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt and Kentucky Education Association President Stephanie Winkler.

The event took place June 11 in Lexington at the second annual Kentucky Representing Education Support Professionals Ensuring Career-Development Training (RESPECT) Conference. The RESPECT conference is Kentucky’s only professional conference for education support professionals.

Pruitt and Winkler answered questions from support professionals across the state relating to privatization of educational services, education support professionals’ roles in the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, professional learning, school safety and student discipline.

“I am appreciative of the work that education support professionals do for our kids. I cannot thank you enough for the sacrifices you make every day. It’s a critical benefit to our students,” Pruitt said.