Features

New Rockcastle County Schools Superintendent Carrie Ballinger has more than one full-time job.

As a student, Chris Bentzel wishes he would’ve had a little more guidance on taking advantage of opportunities and making wise decisions for his future. As the new superintendent for Christian County Schools, he wants to fully support students to help prepare them for their future.

As a child, Brian Alexander loved going to school. He loved learning, had good relationships with his teachers, and he enjoyed the culture and atmosphere of his schools. Now, as the new superintendent for Edmonson County Schools, he hopes to create similar positive experiences for students there.

From a young age, Mark Martin admired the impact his family – the majority of whom are educators – and his teachers had on him and his fellow classmates. Martin now hopes to continue positively impacting students as the new superintendent for Meade County Schools.

Damian Johnson will lead the way at Jenkins Independent beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, but this is far from his first stop in the district. In fact, this isn’t even the first time Johnson has proved to be a leader in Jenkins.

Becoming superintendent of Shelby County Schools was a return to familiar ground for Sally Sugg.

For Mark Thomas, the new superintendent of Todd County Schools, education is a family focus. One of his daughters is a Bullitt County high school English teacher. Another is headed for the University of Louisville (UofL). And his stepdaughter is about to start her junior year at Western Kentucky University (WKU).

Starting work as superintendent of Russellville Independent School District has been slightly disorienting for Leon Smith. When he walked out of his office July 1, after his first day on the job, it seemed like he’d never left.

Coming from a family of Kentucky educators, Jason Glass had a passion for learning, community and democracy. Now, with an extensive and diverse array of educational and professional experiences, he has been able to turn those passions toward the work of being Kentucky’s next commissioner of education.

Twelve director’s chairs were placed in the parking lot of Thomas Gym on the campus of Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD). These chairs – properly distanced – were to signify that the 2020 graduates of KSD are now the directors of their own lives.