Officials outline recommendations for next school year

Temperature checks as students board school buses, forward-facing desks 6-feet apart, lunches served in classrooms, both students and teachers wearing masks all day – those were just some of the recommendations for the next school year superintendents heard from Kentucky public health officials Tuesday during a two-hour webcast.

Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of public health, said a vaccine won’t be ready by this fall and there’s no treatment for COVID-19 which has now killed nearly 400 Kentuckians and nearly 100,000 nationwide.

That’s why the next school year will have to look different than anything educators, students or parents have ever seen.

“The challenge we all face is substantial,” Stack said. “I don’t say these things to undermine our confidence that we will find ways to overcome them, but I do say them in a sense to be sobering in that it is a big challenge.”

The litany of safety measures led some superintendents to question whether opening in the fall would even be possible. And many posed that question to Stack through Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Toni Tatman.

“They want to know whether you have any advice for them on how they are supposed to work around this,” she relayed.

While Stack admitted that public health officials have few answers, he noted that it's too early to decide that in-person classes cannot resume.

“I wish I had more reassurance,” he said. “But the challenges are significant. That doesn’t mean we won’t let school open up and it may mean we have to accept that when school opens up that there are more kids together than we would prefer.”

Public health and education officials will have to balance benefits of having kids resuming learning and allowing parents to return to work with the public health risk, he said.

“We have to find a way to navigate the trade off,” Stack said. “So, I think it is premature for us to reach the conclusion we can’t have school yet in the fall.”

Interim Commissioner Kevin Brown said districts will have to make several plans for reopening and work with their local health departments. But noted that when and how to reopen is a local decision.

“We’ve said you need to have a playbook in place,” he said, noting that districts need to have several options including using non-traditional instruction (NTI.)

Brown also noted that the department is working with Lt. Gov. and Education and Workforce Cabinet Secretary Jackie Coleman to issue an executive order increasing the number of NTI days allowed during the 2020-21 school year.

The order is also expected to address funding in case schools have reduced attendance either due to alternating schedules or increased NTI use, Brown said.

Brown noted that while the recommendations will be cumbersome, he remains optimistic that Kentucky schools will find a way to continue to educate students this fall.

“We hear your anxiety and we hear your frustration and that is to be expected,” he said, “but I do believe that Kentucky, or any state, will be able to do this, and give a good faith effort at keeping kids healthy and safe but also giving them a good education next year.”

KSBA’s 14th Annual Federal and State Law Update is less than a week away, Tuesday, June 2. This year’s event will be hosted as a virtual conference, allowing participants to earn training hours from the comfort of their homes and offices. Curious about what KSBA will cover during this training? We asked our presenters to give us a little primer. Check out their responses in the video below. Topics will include a 2020 general session recap, board policy updates, Open Meetings Act guidance, a CARES Act funding overview and more. Register now!

The cost is $150 per person for this three-hour virtual conference. Board members can earn three hours of training credit. Approval for CLE and EILA credit has been requested. See the full agenda.

CARES Act funding now available 

Kentucky school districts now know exactly how much federal emergency funding they will receive from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES).

The CARES Act funds are now available to school districts through the Kentucky Department of Education which has posted each district’s funds allocation.

The aid comes in two funds, the Governors Education Emergency Relief Fund (GEERS) and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). Gov. Andy Beshear allotted $30 million in GEERS funding for districts to expand access to high-quality remote learning experiences by increasing digital learning infrastructure and to expand remote food services to students. Kentucky received $193,186,874 in ESSER funding – 90% of which will be distributed to districts to support their crisis response efforts.

KDE has also created guidance for each fund – COVID-19 Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund Guidance for LEAs and COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Guidance for LEAs to help districts evaluate their needs before allocating the funds.

Join KSBA the second Wednesday of each month for an hour of meaningful board member training. Our “Learn and Earn” webinar series offers helpful topics while providing school board members with required training credits. All sessions will run from noon – 1 p.m. (ET) at a cost of $50 per session. Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 100 viewers each session. Visit the Learn and Earn web page for detailed webinar descriptions, presenter information, registration details and more. Download a complete schedule (PDF) of the upcoming opportunities.

The next "Learn and Earn" webinar is June June 10. KSBA presents an Overview of the Annual Financial Report and Tax Rates. This training counts toward mandated finance training requirements for school board members. Register now!

For questions regarding the Learn and Earn webinars, contact Laura Cole, KSBA director of Board Team Development, via email or at 800-372-2962.

KET to consider airing high school graduation ceremonies

KET plans to broadcast high school graduation ceremonies for Kentucky public and private high schools on KET KY (KET’s Kentucky channel), as well on KET.org, and archived for on-demand viewing.

All programs are subject to KET Editorial Guidelines and will be reviewed for consideration by KET staff. These programs should resemble a ceremony and may include graduate photos, speakers and awards. They should not include footage from parades or other public events.

Interested schools should submit letter of intent to  [email protected]  by May 30. Deadline for submission of final video is June 30. More information is available on KET’s website.

KSBA’s   2020 Summer Leadership Institute will be held virtually July 10-11. Attendees can participate from the comfort of their homes and offices while earning board training hours. More importantly, those in attendance will gain valuable insights and inspiration to be used in the successful governance of school districts. This year's event welcomes one of the most impressive keynote speaker lineups in KSBA's history.

On Friday, KSBA will be joined by Jim "The Rookie" Morris. In 1999, Morris was a 35-year-old high school teacher. Three months later, he was a flame-throwing major league pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The feel-good 2002 movie “The Rookie” starring Dennis Quaid chronicled Morris’ meteoric rise.

Saturday's keynote will be delivered by educator and advocate Erin Gruwell. As an English teacher, Gruwell used an educational philosophy that valued and promoted diversity, helping to transform the lives of her students. Her students eventually dubbed themselves the “Freedom Writers.” Their compilation of stories entitled the “The Freedom Writers Diary” later became a bestselling book and inspired the movie “Freedom Writers” starring Hillary Swank.

Visit the Summer Leadership Institute page on KSBA's website for full keynote bios and session summaries along with a breakdown of breakout sessions to be offered on Saturday. Easy  online registration is available by clicking the “Register Now” button below. The cost of this year’s event is $195 for access to all sessions.

NSBA compiles re-opening resources

The National School Boards Association compiled a list of recently published resources on operational concerns on re-opening schools. The resources include:

KSBA (virtually) presents PEAK Award to Metcalfe Co.

KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling took part (via Zoom) in the May 12 meeting of the Metcalfe County Board of Education to present the district and its Old School Cafe with the Spring 2020 PEAK Award, one of our association’s highest honors. Check out Schelling's remarks via the video below and then read about this award-worthy program.

Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky releases Educator's Guide to dealing with crisis

Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky (PCAKY) has put together an Educator’s Guide for prevention during a crisis.

The Educator’s Guide , created in cooperation with the Lt. Governor’s office and modeled after a document released in Michigan, includes resources, contact information for immediate assistance and information, such as how to help children cope with a crisis.

Educators play a significant role in ensuring healthy outcomes for children – from preventing child abuse before it occurs to intervening when abuse is suspected. COVID-19 brings a new set of challenges, which educators have never experienced.

During times of crisis, it becomes even more important to have strong connections between school personnel and children and their families, PCAKY says in the Educator’s Guide. Maintaining physical distancing is new to most of us. In a world where connections are critical to the health and well-being of children and families, it can be difficult to provide support and ensure safety. This guide is one of many steps PCAKY is taking to provide educators with tools to support families and children.

Visit PCAKY's website and follow them on social media for updates to this guide, downloadable materials and interactive educational segments. If there is a subject you would like to learn more about, email [email protected] .

School board members seeking reelection this fall must file the required paperwork with their county clerk's office by 4 p.m. on June 2. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and state social distancing efforts, county clerks’ offices may not be in a position to readily provide in-person services or accept in-person filings. KSBA has once again compiled helpful resources for those seeking reelection this fall. This includes answers to frequently asked questions, guidance on acquiring required transcripts, “do's and don’ts” of campaigning, board member job description and more.

Senate Education chairman pens open letter to Class of 2020

In an open letter to Kentucky's high school graduates, State Senate Education Committee Chairman Max Wise celebrates their accomplishments and offers encouragement for their futures. Below is an excerpt from the full letter.

No matter if you were a student-athlete, a performer on the stage, a musician, an academic, career/tech focused, a free spirit, or an introvert...something was taken from you that will never be given back. I know it isn’t fair, and my heart breaks for you. I have felt nothing but empathy for you during this time. COVID-19 is akin to the Kubler-Ross stages of grief...denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance. You have surely felt all stages and will continue to as we get through this pandemic together.

In a world currently filled with more questions than certainties, please know that you will learn more from this era than future generations will be able to comprehend. You face adversity head on. You are maturing quickly as young adults, and I respect you for this. You are growing up in more ways than you could have ever imagined. You have grown closer to your family, faith, and learned substantial life lessons. I understand these are just words, and words alone, but please know that your community empathizes with you as we simultaneously celebrate with you.

Webinar on reducing tobacco use to be held June 24

The American Heart Association, in partnership with the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Kentucky Youth Advocates, will host a webinar from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24 to discuss ways to improve health of citizens through reduced tobacco use.

The invitation-only virtual conference, which is being offered to local elected officials and advocates for better health throughout Kentucky, will help you learn more about how you can gain more local control over your community’s tobacco-reduction efforts.

The conference will feature speakers, including Ashli Watts, president and CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Elizabeth Anderson Hoagland, Health Promotion Section supervisor, Kentucky Department for Public Health; Betsy Vetter, national field grass roots director, American Heart Association; and State Rep. Kim Moser (Taylor Mill). Bonnie J. Hackbarth, vice president/external affairs for the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, will moderate.

The webinar will help you understand the costs of tobacco use in Kentucky to business, health and the economy, current laws designed to improve health by reducing tobacco use, and how local leaders can gain additional power to enact effective tobacco-control measures. You must register for the event .

For questions, please contact Alexa Kerley .

June 2: KSBA's 14th Annual Federal & State Law Update Virtual Conference

June 3: Kentucky Board of Education, video conference meeting

June 10: KSBA Learn and Earn -- Overview of the Annual Financial Report and Tax Rates

July 8: KSBA Learn and Earn -- Board Leadership Essentials: Your Public Image

July 10-11: KSBA's Virtual Summer Leadership Institute

July 29-31: KASA Annual Leadership Institute

This edition of KSBA Aware is made possible in part

by the following KSBA Affiliate Members.