Tag: Commissioner’s Comments

The 2021-2022 school year is set to start up in just a few weeks and many of us – educators and parents alike – are contemplating what the next year will look like.

By now, you’ve hopefully heard about the Commissioner’s Virtual Listening Tour. For more than a month, I led a series of virtual town halls in conjunction with the education cooperatives and the University of Kentucky’s College of Education to hear directly from parents, students, educators and community members about what is and isn’t working in Kentucky’s education system.

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week will be May 3-7. This year’s theme is #ThankATeacher. I am thankful every day for the teachers who have helped and inspired me along the way.

All of us at the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) are committed to the core values of equity, achievement, collaboration and integrity. These are the values that drive our work day after day.

I like to say that people who are drawn to becoming teachers generally have a calling. That got me thinking; why do we often call teaching a calling?

It soon will be a time of new beginnings for this year’s high school seniors. Even though their senior year hasn’t been what they anticipated, now is the time to be following through with plans for what comes next in their lives.

I’ve always been a fan of the holiday season, much like all of you I’m sure. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the things I like the most about the holidays are the traditions – decorating, spending time with neighbors and special dinners with friends and family.

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, a time for us to bring attention to the prevalence of homeless youth within Kentucky and create an awareness of the challenges faced by students and families experiencing homelessness.

This year, Oct. 18-24 will be recognized as Kentucky Safe Schools Week. This annual event – which has recognized issues such as preventing cyberbullying, hatred and violence – has taken on a bit of a different perspective due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I know this is the most unusual opening Kentucky – and the rest of the country – probably has ever had. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and I stand ready to help all our districts as the school year begins.