Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Chief Communications Officer Toni Konz Tatman was awarded the 2023 O.V. Jones Memorial Award from the Kentucky School Public Relations Association (KSPRA) at its spring conference March 24 in Owensboro.
At Shelby East Middle School, we recognize that strong partnerships between our school and our families are essential for student success.
Every time you log into social media, turn on the TV, or speak to anyone who works in education, the harsh realities that are crippling educators are evident. Problems ranging from concerning legislation, challenging student behaviors, overwhelming work demands, toxic cultures, poor leadership, safety concerns, lack of support - the list goes on and on. These factors are contributing to many leaving the profession, and rightfully so, in many cases. Yet, I choose to stay.
The desire to see parents in a more inclusive, active role in the operations and decision-making at Pine Knot Elementary drove the leadership team to seek certification.
Back in December, I wrote a column about what I considered to be deeper learning, a topic that you probably hear educators discuss a lot these days. While we have avoided laying out an official definition from the Kentucky Department of Education so that those learning and working in our schools can help determine what it means, we do know that deeper learning can take several forms.
My term began on July 1, 2022, and I joined a room of change agents passionate about improving education in our Commonwealth.
“Together We Prowl” guides the students, families, teachers and leaders in the Ludlow Independent School District.
At the beginning of my educational journey, I knew I wanted to be engaged in a process that changed education for the better. The past year has transformed my engagement with education.
Rewind to March 2022. Just like every other teacher I know, I quickly scanned the 20,000 emails in my school inbox (if yours is less than that, share your secret) during my lunch period and skipped right over an email from “Kentucky Teacher of the Year.” Let’s face it – why would they be emailing me?
Emerging from the pandemic, we’ve all heard increasing concerns about the current state of the teaching profession, both here in Kentucky and nationally. As districts struggle with filling positions both in the classroom and in support roles, we are seeing some noticeable strains in the educator workforce.