Amy Ramage

The Livingston County school board selected Amy Ramage to be the district’s newest superintendent in May. Photo courtesy Amy Ramage

(SMITHLAND, KY) – As a graduate of Livingston Central High School, Amy Ramage didn’t always plan to follow in the footsteps of the educators who inspired her.

Ramage began college as a chemical engineering major and switched to business. She said a conversation with her now-husband reminded her of her love for children, and that’s when she realized where she was truly meant to be. Ramage decided to shift her focus to elementary education and earned her degree from Murray State University.

“I had the opportunity to come back to this district, and it’s where my heart is. It’s where my family is from. It’s where both of my children have graduated from. And so, it just has my heart,” Ramage said.

Ramage said Livingston County helped shape her, and after starting in a neighboring school district, Marshall County, she returned to Livingston, where she and her husband chose to raise their family. Both of their children graduated from Livingston Central, deepening the family’s connection to the school system.

Ramage credits her connection to the area for making her transition into district leadership easier. She said familiarity with the community, families and schools gave her a foundation of trust and understanding.

“We have a fantastic community that is completely supportive of the school district and supportive of all the efforts … We’re really about building the role of a champion. And as educators, we’re champions for students,” Ramage said.

Before taking on administrative roles, Ramage taught as an elementary school teacher for eight years. Ramage taught kindergarten for a year at Calvert Elementary in Marshall County prior to coming to Livingston County and spent the remaining seven years teaching 5th and 6th grade at Smithland Elementary and South Livingston Elementary. She served as assistant principal and director of pupil personnel, a position she held for 13 years. Ramage said that this experience assisted in the development of her leadership approach.

“Sometimes we don’t know what students are going through … It’s our commitment to our students, it’s our commitment to our staff to really seek first to understand,” Ramage said.

She credits leaders such as former Superintendent David Meinschein, Darrell Chittenden, Sherry Henson and her former English teacher, Doris Cothron, for pushing her growth. She recently invited several of them to speak at the district’s back-to-school event to supply insight into what it means to be a cardinal.

As a teacher transitioning into administration, Ramage said she needed to step back and consider how policy, programs and leadership impact every student in the district.

“When you switch to an administrative role, sometimes you, I mean, all the time, you have to see the big picture. And as a classroom teacher, I was very contained to what was happening in my classroom,” Ramage said.

Ramage said her goals for her first term as superintendent are to prioritize academic excellence and workforce readiness. She is particularly focused on ensuring students are equipped for post-secondary success, whether that means attending college or entering the trades. The Livingston County Career and Technical Center received renovations and now offers students more opportunities to explore hands-on career paths aligned with the community’s needs.

“For me, it’s making sure that our school district embodies academic excellence and making sure that we are providing the community with what they need,” Ramage said.

Another initiative Ramage said was close to her heart is the development of a Livingston County historical curriculum. She explained that this addition will highlight the region’s rich heritage and local landmarks, like the Fort Smith Historic Site from the Civil War and Mantle Rock. Ramage said that she hopes this will connect students more deeply to their community.

“I don’t know if there’s any other school district in the state of Kentucky that owns a Civil War fort, but we do. And when I was in high school, we spent some time doing archaeological digs,” Ramage said.

Ramage said on difficult days, she finds herself gravitating back toward the elementary school next door to the central office, just to spend time with students. She said the students of Livingston County are her “why.”

“It’s the students that keep me going, plain and simple,” Ramage said.

Ramage said that nothing she accomplishes is done alone. She emphasizes that the progress being made in Livingston County Schools is a direct result of a powerful collaborative team of educators, staff members and families who care deeply about the students and community.

“We are Cardinals. District-wide, through and through, every one of them deserves a champion who supports their dreams and nurtures their potential and guides them towards success,” Ramage said.