Taking the time to listen to what our families have to say
Across the country, you are hearing a louder call for families to be more involved in the education of their students.
Across the country, you are hearing a louder call for families to be more involved in the education of their students.
The foundation for great teamwork in eastern Kentucky following the catastrophic flooding – and what I feel is at the heart of every successful team – is open lines of communication.
Hunter Combs I spent July 26 like many other teenagers in Knott County – talking with friends, enjoying the last few days of summer break, yet excited for a new school year. Around 11:30 p.m., we all received a notification saying that our area was on a flood watch.
Two weeks ago, our eastern Kentucky community was devastated by flash flooding. Perry County suffered damage that was both unprecedented and shocking. No loss is greater than the loss of a family member, especially those taken far too early. Our thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with those who suffered the greatest loss.
As summer winds toward fall and we consider the annual return to school for students, families and staff, it occurs to me that we are possibly at the precipice of our first undisrupted year of in-person learning since 2019.
As a principal who grounds her work in leading a school that is a model of inclusivity, I know that optimal student success in achievement, engagement and sense of belonging occurs when there is a strong partnership between home and school.
Creating a virtual school is a tremendous undertaking in the best of times. Creating one during a pandemic, requires gumption.
Last month I met with the Kentucky Legislature’s Interim Joint Committee on Education to talk about the teacher workforce. The legislators and I talked about a lot about ways we might be able to encourage more people to go into teaching and how to keep our current teachers in their classrooms.
In his famous 1961 “moon shot” speech, President John F. Kennedy told Congress, “Now it is time to take longer strides, time for a great new American enterprise, time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth.”
As schools transitioned away from the high-stakes accountability environment of No Child Left Behind in 2015, many Kentucky schools and districts began a journey toward deeper, more personalized learning as a path to equity for ALL learners.