LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Educators from across the state met today at the Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative. The Kentucky Association of School Superintendents hosted its first leadership training for aspiring superintendents.
Owens Saylor, with Kentucky Leadership Rising, says, "The idea is for them to prepare themselves to interview and land a superintendent’s job at some point in the future."
The 22 educators participating in the workshop will attend four in-person meetings covering topics including management, safety, health, and more. The group is focusing on servant leadership and learning to be authentic in their roles.
Graves County School’s Amy Turner says, "It's a great opportunity to build leadership capacity, to learn about who I am and what I value."
The district leaders also got the chance to learn what challenges districts around the state face - and how they can all collaborate.
Eric McAter, with Boone County Schools, says, "You need to understand what other districts may be experiencing so that maybe you can get some ideas from them to take it to your district and make your district better."
The group includes three people who are recipients of the Emmanual "Manny" Caulk fellowship. Dr. Caulk was a former Fayette County superintendent who passed away in 2020. The fellowship supports minority administrators who are looking to move into superintendent roles.
Saylor says, "It was his legacy. He was an amazing person to deal with growth of new leadership from all, from all pathways. And to honor him in this way is really exciting and appropriate."
One of the fellowship’s members, Littleton Ward with Bourbon County Schools, says, "The blessing of it is, it's giving minorities an opportunity to get insight and also build a foundation to be able to knock down doors and knock down walls to be able to be successful in that area."
Anyone who holds a superintendent certification can take part in this course. This workshop hopes to go beyond basic job skills and teach things that can't always be learned in a classroom. They want to help train this group to be servant leaders for Kentucky schools.
"We're in a new era for education post-pandemic. So, what has changed in the job since before the pandemic to now, that we can help fill those gaps with a program like this? So, they walk in those jobs ready to go,” says Saylor.
