Owensboro Ind. teacher wins ‘Oscars of teaching’ 

Charlotte Buskill, a 3rd-grade teacher at Newton Parrish Elementary School (Owensboro Independent), on Nov. 10 became the latest Kentucky educator to receive the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

The award, often called the “Oscars of teaching,” comes with a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize that was presented by Kentucky Education Commissioner Jason E. Glass, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley. Kentucky Board of Education member Patrice McCrary also was present.

“Mrs. Buskill goes above and beyond what is expected of her as a teacher and a colleague and inspires her students to do the same,” Glass said. “Students leave her classroom well prepared for the next step in their educational journey.” 

Buskill has taught at Newton Parrish Elementary School since 2016. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in literacy education from Western University Kentucky.

She said the last few years have been hard and “I could not have done any of that without the administrators and teachers that support me,” said Buskill. “I could go on and on about the amazing educators that put me where I am today.” 

Buskill’s influence reaches beyond the classroom. She sponsors the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) club and often incorporates science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities into her homeroom, exposing students to multiple STEM activities.

Buskill is among up to 40 elementary educators across the nation who will receive the award this school year. The Milken Family Foundation has presented more than 2,900 Milken Educator Awards since 1987, including 60 to Kentucky educators. Buskill is the second recipient from Owensboro Public Schools in the history of the award.

Read more about Buskill and her award at Milken Educator Awards and Kentucky Teacher. 

Register now for 2022 Winter Symposium

KSBA’s 2022 Winter Symposium is Dec. 9-10 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. This conference is the last in-person training event before the end of the year – the deadline for school board members to complete their state-mandated school board training hours.

Winter Symposium of an election year provides a unique opportunity for newly elected board members to complete training before they take their oaths of office. If you have new members joining your school board team this January, register them for this year’s event. KSBA's "New Board Member Express" includes a six-session track tailor-made for newly elected board members.

Registration packets have been mailed to all board teams, or you can view/download a printable PDF version. Access easy online registration by clicking the button below. Additional event information can be found on KSBA’s Winter Symposium page.

KSBA opens call for Annual Conference session proposals and student involvement

Save the date for KSBA's 2023 Annual Conference, Feb. 24-26, 2023 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville. The theme for this year's conference is "The Sky is the Limit."

There are many ways districts and other education stakeholders can be directly involved in this year’s event:

Call for breakout session proposals: KSBA is seeking proposals for workshop sessions during Annual Conference. See the session proposal guidelines. All session proposal submissions must be received by Nov. 27. Begin the online session proposal form for KSBA’s 2023 Annual Conference. 

Student performances throughout KSBA’s Annual Conference provide districts a unique opportunity to showcase the talents of student performers in front of hundreds of our Commonwealth’s board members, administrators and public education advocates. View/download the student involvement form. Districts wishing to be considered must submit the form no later than Jan. 13, 2023.

KSBA will once again display student-designed banner artwork depicting the conference theme. We invite school districts to submit banner artwork electronically. Banners will be featured in conference communications, displayed in a gallery at the event, printed in a commemorative conference booklet and more. Information on student banner art submissions. The deadline to submit banner artwork for the 2023 Annual Conference is Feb. 13, 2023.

Questions about any of these opportunities for involvement may be directed to [email protected]. Look for Annual Conference schedule and registration information to be released in December. 

Superintendents hear ESSER reminders, discuss two projects

During the Kentucky Department of Education’s Superintendents’ Webcast on Tuesday, superintendents heard a reminder about updating their federal COVID-19 relief fund plans, learned about a new special education program and discussed the state’s deeper learning initiative.

KDE Associate Commissioner Robin Kinney told superintendents that many districts need to update their American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) plan to ensure it aligns with federal standards.

Districts are required to update all three parts of their ARP ESSER plan: the spending plan/budget, the plan narrative, and the plan to safely return to in-person instruction that goes along with Senate Bill 1 (2021 special session).

The updated plans should be loaded into the Grants Management Application Program (GMAP) by Nov. 28. Kinney noted that districts are required to post the plans on their websites, but many now have broken links.

Superintendents also heard about the Purpose in Action Design Challenge, a program that encourages schoolwide teams to design and develop a manufacturing workspace prototype that meets the needs of students with disabilities. The new initiative, through KDE’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning, is being paid for through ARP funding.

Berea Independent and Woodford County are the first two districts to participate. In October, district teams visited Parker Hannifin’s O-ring headquarters in Lexington, where they learned about designing a prototype that will be judged and developed into an industry-standard manufacturing workspace.

Woodford County Director of Special Education Tracey Francis said the challenge is an innovative way to bring people with disabilities and students without disabilities together for a vibrant experience.

During the webcast, superintendents also heard from the Kentucky Association of Educational Cooperatives about the progress of the deeper learning initiative.

The Kentucky Educational Development Corporation (KEDC), one of eight cooperatives in the state working on deeper learning, held a series of workshops to help teachers incorporate lesson plans that create a more vibrant student experience.

KEDC will hold more workshops on project-based learning starting in January. Several other cooperatives provided updates on similar workshops they plan to hold in different parts of the state with the same goals in mind.

Nominations open for KSBA's student scholarships and grants

Nominations are open for our First Degree College Scholarship program and CTE Student Grant program (previously called First Degree CTE scholarships). KSBA and the KSBA Educational Foundation will award nearly $25,000 in scholarships and grants to public high school students across Kentucky in 2022-23. This year, nomination forms are offered exclusively online and the process has been streamlined.

Review instructions, award criteria and online nomination forms for KSBA’s 2023 First Degree College Scholarships and CTE Student Grants. The nomination deadline is Nov. 30.  

Call for nominations: 2023 School Board Member of the Year

Nominations are open for KSBA’s 2023 School Board Member of the Year Award (BMOY), established this past year to honor the exemplary service of association members and to celebrate the critical roles school boards play in the advancement of public education in Kentucky. Board members, superintendents, district personnel and community members may nominate individuals for this award. Online nominations must be submitted by Dec. 16. Access BMOY award criteria, instructions and the online nomination form. Please read the criteria carefully for a full understanding of eligibility.

The 2023 Kentucky School Board Member of the Year is sponsored by American Fidelity Educational Services, a longtime KSBA Affiliate Member, sponsor and exhibitor.

New KOSAA KUP to honor district administrator

The Kentucky Organization of Superintendents’ Administrative Assistants (KOSAA), in collaboration with KSBA, is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the inaugural KOSAA KUP Award (Knowledge, Understanding and Passion). The award was established in 2022 by the KOSAA board of directors to honor the exemplary service of KOSAA members and to celebrate the critical roles they play in the advancement of public education in the Commonwealth. Honorees are those who have made significant contributions to public education through service in their district.

KOSAA members, school board members, superintendents and/or district personnel may nominate individuals for this honor. Review award criteria/instructions before beginning the online nomination form.

Online nominations must be submitted no later than Dec. 16. No late entries will be considered. Hard-copy forms will not be accepted.

Begin the online nomination form.

Questions? Contact Tammie Conatser at 502-695-4630 ext. 1106 or at [email protected]. The 2023 KOSAA KUP is sponsored by American Fidelity Educational Services, a longtime KSBA Affiliate Member, sponsor and exhibitor.

PEAK Award deadline extended to Nov. 22

KSBA's Public Education Achieves in Kentucky (PEAK) Award is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and we invite eligible districts to nominate a program for consideration. The nomination deadline has been extended one week. The new deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 22.

This year, all nominations must be submitted online and the winner will be announced during KSBA's Annual Conference in February.

The PEAK Award was established in 1997 to focus statewide attention on outstanding public school efforts aimed specifically at enhancing student learning skills and, in doing so, promoting the positive impact of public elementary and secondary education in the Commonwealth.

Throughout the past quarter-century, KSBA has honored more than 50 programs throughout the Commonwealth with the PEAK Award. We are looking for programs that are innovative, address a need and have proven results. A program must have been implemented at least one year prior to the nomination deadline to be eligible.

KSBA encourages eligible districts to consider submitting a nomination. Entries must be submitted by the local board of education or district administrators. More information on entry guidelines and links to articles on some previous winners can be found on KSBA's website. Please contact Matt McCarty with questions via email or at 502-783-0074.

November Advocate available online

Boards across the state are adding student board representatives to connect board members and district administrators to the people they serve -- the students. Read more about the growing trend in the November issue of the Kentucky School Advocate.

Also in the November Advocate:

• Student voice at the state level and beyond

• State testing data released

• Kentucky Supreme Court hears scholarship tax credit case

• Winter Symposium offers newly elected members opportunity for training

• Beyond the Board: Jennifer Spencer, Wolfe County Schools

• In Conversation With Steve Griebe

• KSBA Answers: KSBA 'alumni' can stay connected

• President's Perspective: Confessions of a control freak

KSBA is hiring. Join our team!

KSBA is hiring for the position of KSBA Policy and Procedure Consultant/eMeeting Trainer. This full-time Frankfort-based position is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day maintenance of public school district policies, procedures and other services for assigned districts. Access the full job description and online application link on KSBA’s employment opportunities page.

Registration open for inaugural COSSBA annual conference

Registration is now open for the inaugural Annual Conference for the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA). Join school board members and education leaders from across the country March 31 – April 2 in Tampa, Florida. Visit COSSBA’s website for a summary of keynote speakers, hotel accommodations and instructions for online registration. 

Nov. 13-19: American Education Week 

Nov. 22: Local Superintendents Advisory Council virtual meeting

Dec. 6-7: Kentucky Board of Education meeting

Dec. 9-10: KSBA Winter Symposium, Louisville

Dec. 13: KDE Superintendents' Webcast