|
Dear Colleagues:
As most of our districts prepare to start the 2022-2023 school year this week and next week, I know we all still feel the strain of the 18 school districts that have been impacted by the flooding in eastern Kentucky. It is disheartening to know that less than a year after tornadoes struck western Kentucky, there is another portion of our Commonwealth trying to recover after a natural disaster.
What is heartening is to see how so many of you are reaching out to your affected neighbors to see how you can assist. We've seen examples like Hardin County Superintendent Teresa Morgan hand-delivered gift cards to Floyd County Schools. South Oldham Middle School cheerleaders packed up a trailer full of supplies, as did the Lewis County marching band. And the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation – including two members of the Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council – continues to provide support to its districts, including helping support the volunteers in Knott County late last week.
I want to thank all of you who are, once again, showing just how strong and supportive Kentucky and its residents are. When there is a need, you and your students have been there to pack the buses full of supplies, collect and donate gift cards, and clean out houses and schools. You do it not because you seek accolades, but because as educators, you know we are all in this together.
And to our eastern Kentucky districts, I want you to know that we are all in this together. KDE will be listening to you and seeking your input on what you need to help get your districts back on their feet. Right now, we estimate there are 13 school buildings that have been significantly impacted or destroyed by the flooding. Recovery will take time and resources, but it will happen. We will stand with you as you navigate these choppy waters.
So although this is not the beginning of the school year we imagined, I want you to know that we will once again get through this. I am proud to be your commissioner and even prouder to be a Kentuckian.
And don’t forget, we will have our next Superintendents Webcast tomorrow, Aug. 9, at 2-4 p.m. ET. You’ll be able to view it on the KDE Media Portal. As always, you can ask questions in advance using this Google form.
The next Superintendents Huddle for flood impacted districts will be Thursday, Aug. 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET. You should already have received an invitation in your email. If you did not receive one, please reach out to Chief Communications Officer Toni Konz Tatman.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner and Chief Learner
Resources for Flood-Impacted Districts
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has resources that schools and districts can use to provide school-based supports to students, families and staff who have experienced loss due to the recent floods.
“Implementing a Continuum of Tiered Behavioral Health Supports for Students, Families and Staff Following a Natural Disaster” provides suggested activities for support at the universal (Tier I), targeted (Tier II) and intensive (Tier III) levels. Additionally, some resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network that are specific to floods also are available. These resources can be used in conjunction with existing emergency operations and trauma-informed plans that are in place at the local level.
Local education agencies that were directly impacted by the tornadoes also may be eligible for additional federal funds through the U.S. Department of Education’s (USED’s) Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) grant program. District leadership can contact the USED’s Disaster Recovery Unit directly for more information about this resource.
School Profile Report - Annual Reminder
KRS 158.6453 – Senate Bill 1 (2017) – requires all principals to complete the School Profile Report by Oct. 1 of each year for visual and performing arts, health education and physical education (practical living), career studies and world languages.
The School Report Card satisfies the requirement of KRS 158.6453(20)(b), which requires the department to include a link to each school’s profile report on its website. The link to each school’s profile can be found at the bottom of the organizational landing page of the School Report Card.
School Profile Report Requirements and Timeline
- Principals can begin completing the items for the School Profile Report in the School Report Card Collector Tool based on information from the 2021-2022 school year. All collection items are due no later than Sept.16. However, KDE recommends that this be completed, when possible, by the end of August to allow time to get SBDM member signatures before the Oct. 1 due date.
- School Profile Report items are numbers 24-53 in the “School Report Card – Collector Items” available on the KSIS School Report Card Resources website.
- New this year: Essential workplace ethics program details are included on the School Profile Report. Three questions were added to the SRC Collection Tool in the career studies area to capture program information for each school. These questions include: (1) A description of the school’s workplace ethics program, (2) The URL of the Workplace Ethics Program website, and (3) What percent of students at the school have attained local board-approved essential workplace ethics requirements. KRS 158.1413 details requirements of the essential workplace ethics instruction program and the Kentucky Academic Standards/Career Studies guide provides additional detail. If these questions are not applicable to your elementary schools, you can enter “Not Applicable.”
- After ensuring accuracy, print the School Profile Report for signatures. Printing of the School Profile Report can be done from the school’s downloads function of the School Report Card Approval Tool.
- Senate Bill 1 (2017) requires the School Profile Report be approved by the school-based decision making (SBDM) council and include signatures of all SBDM members, the principal, and the superintendent. If the school does not have an SBDM, it should be signed by the principal and superintendent.
- Once complete, schools should post the document to its school website.
- A hard copy must remain on file at central office and be available upon request.
School Profile Report Resources and Additional Notes
-
School Profile Report Instructions – Provides instruction for completion of the collector items in the School Report Card collection tool.
- The School Profile Report does not have to be electronically submitted to KDE. Data entry in the School Report Card satisfies this requirement.
- The School Profile Reports are only required at the school level. There is not a district-level School Profile Report.
- Schools classified as an A6 – KECSAC facility do not have to complete the School Profile Report.
Contacts:
- Email BrightBytes support or call (877) 433-4036 with system questions.
- Email KDE Standards Team for School Profile Report (Education Opportunities/General Education Coursework) questions.
- Email Scott U’Sellis for School Profile Report (Career Studies/Workplace Ethics) questions.
- Contact your local district WAAPOC for user account setup. The KETS Service Desk is available to assist WAAPOCs.
2022-2023 KDE/Cognia Diagnostic Review Team Member Invitation
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia are accepting applications for Diagnostic Review team members to serve during the 2022-2023 school year.
Distinguished practitioners support the Diagnostic Review process by serving alongside KDE and Cognia staff to examine school/system data, leadership, learning conditions, policies, practices, curriculum and culture that promote student learning.
By using current practitioners – those who currently are serving or have served within the past three years – statewide leadership capacity is built to accelerate student performance, enhance school and system effectiveness and realize a common strategic goal of college and career readiness for every student.
Practitioners eligible to serve include the following:
- Principals, assistant principals, all school-level administrators, supervisors and coaches;
- Superintendents, assistant superintendents, all district-level administrators, supervisors and directors;
- Teachers;
- Parents or legal guardians; and
- University representatives.
Diagnostic Reviews are three-day, on-site visits and team members are expected to stay on site for the entirety of the review. To apply, please complete the Smartsheet form. For more information, email Natasha Stein or Ruth Swanson.
2022-2023 KDE/Cognia Diagnostic Review Team Member Invitation
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Cognia are accepting applications for Diagnostic Review team members to serve during the 2022-2023 school year.
Distinguished practitioners support the Diagnostic Review process by serving alongside KDE and Cognia staff to examine school/system data, leadership, learning conditions, policies, practices, curriculum and culture that promote student learning.
By using current practitioners – those who currently are serving or have served within the past three years – statewide leadership capacity is built to accelerate student performance, enhance school and system effectiveness and realize a common strategic goal of college and career readiness for every student.
Practitioners eligible to serve include the following:
- Principals, assistant principals, all school-level administrators, supervisors and coaches;
- Superintendents, assistant superintendents, all district-level administrators, supervisors and directors;
- Teachers;
- Parents or legal guardians; and
- University representatives.
Diagnostic Reviews are three-day, on-site visits and team members are expected to stay on site for the entirety of the review. To apply, please complete the Smartsheet form. For more information, email Natasha Stein or Ruth Swanson.
KDE’s Transformational Change Series for School Leaders
The KDE Transformational Change Leadership Series, led by Mike Rutherford, consists of three one-day conference experiences offered in both Lexington (at the Central Bank Center) and in Bowling Green (at Hyatt Place). The conferences will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.
Participants interested in attending the sessions in Lexington should mark their calendars to attend on Sept. 21, Oct. 26 and Nov. 30. The Bowling Green sessions will be held on Sept. 22, Oct. 27 and Dec. 1. Each conference includes a 60-minute virtual pre- and post-conference support session.
Each conference experience is designed for optimal engagement, relevance and applicability. The conference series and support sessions are free.
Conference 1 will engage participants in an in-depth study of the nature and logic behind transformational school leadership, and how transformational change leadership differs from leadership for continuous, incremental improvement. Topics will include the leadership concepts of self-awareness, characteristics of high-trust organizations, servant leadership values, developing a personal leadership platform, collecting and interpreting data to support school transformation and the role of instructional leadership for transformational change.
Conference 2 will focus on designing and leading change, improvement science, leadership transitions, futuring and paradigm studies, creating meaningful work and principles of sustainability.
Conference 3 will center on the study of how organizational culture can be assessed and shaped to catalyze transformational change, creating community, developing constituent voice, attracting and retaining talent, leading great groups, and how to effectively market/brand a school’s improvement vision.
Those interested in participating in the training series must complete the registration form no later than Aug. 31. For more information, email Tim Godbey.
|
