’Delivering on a promise.’ Students at 2 Lexington schools are back in class a week early.

Superintendent Manny Caulk said the Promise Academy “is delivering on a promise that families hold near and dear, which are their hopes and dreams for their children.”

“No more is it acceptable that a student’s demography determines their destiny,” Caulk said.

Promise Academies are not schools that teach students to take statewide tests, he said.

“This is a model where not only are students going to get the intervention and support that they need but they also get more exposure to the arts, to world language, to science, experiential field trips that connect to learning, project-based learning,” said Caulk.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article233578617.html

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Brenda Cowan Elementary is ready for the school year

The school year for FCPS begins on Wednesday, August 14 and what better way to celebrate the opening of a brand new school than inviting the Lexington community for a ribbon cutting. Elected officials, members of the fire and police department, Brenda Cowan family members, teachers, and students were present for this special day.

Myron Thompson, Chief Operating Officer for FCPS, began the morning by thanking all for coming out and showing support for BCE. “It is a wonderful day and I am so glad to have you here. On behalf of our Board of Education and Superintendent Manny Caulk, we want to thank you all for coming to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Brenda Cowan Elementary.”

https://www.hamburgjournal.com/brenda-cowan-elementary-is-ready-for-the-school-year/

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FCPS Superintendent Gives 2019 State of the Schools Address

Superintendent Manny Caulk of Fayette County Public Schools delivered the 2019 State of the Schools to a supportive crowd at the Lexington Convention Center, saying, “Every child born represents a promise – a promise to love, to protect, to guide, to nurture, to teach. Every person in this room is a promise keeper. You play a vital role in making the American dream come true for every student. The path to the American dream runs through the doors of our schools.”

Presenting sponsor of the Aug. 7 breakfast program was again the Lexington-Bluegrass Association of REALTORS, and CEO Justin Landon welcomed the hundreds of educators, business leaders, community and state officials, and others eager to hear highlights of the school district’s 2018-19 Annual Report.

https://www.lexingtonfamily.com/2019/08/fcps-superintendent-gives-2019-state-of-the-schools-address/

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Inaugural Superintendent’s Scholarship Goes to Recent Dunbar Graduate

Superintendent Manny Caulk presented the inaugural Superintendent’s Scholarship to Abigail Wheatley, a 2019 graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School who intends to study Special Education this fall at Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

“I was really caught off guard,” said Wheatley, who accepted the honor Aug. 7 during the State of the Schools at the Lexington Convention Center. “Mr. Caulk has done a lot for me my whole high school career, so it means a great deal that I’m the first recipient,” she said.

A friend from Dunbar’s Lamplighter student newspaper had invited her to the event, where she heard Caulk cite a few of her accomplishments. For instance, Wheatley was an award-winning writer and editor in chief of the PLD Lamplighter, vice president of the school’s Gay Straight Alliance, and a member of the district’s Student Voice Team.

“She made a huge impression on me for her passion in the area of equity and willingness to speak truth to power,” Caulk said in his introduction of Wheatley.

As the Kentucky Association for School Administrators’ 2019 Superintendent of the Year, Caulk received $2,500 from KASA and American Fidelity for the student scholarship. However, he announced it will be an annual award that he will personally fund as long as he serves as superintendent in Fayette County Public Schools.

https://www.lexingtonfamily.com/2019/08/inaugural-superintendents-scholarship-goes-to-recent-dunbar-graduate/

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Fayette County Superintendent says teacher staffing near full

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Students go back to school in Fayette County in one week, and the teacher shortage in Lexington isn’t as bad as originally thought.

Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk says the district only needs to fill about 20 positions, and the gap is expected to close even more before the first day of school.

Caulk gave his State of the Schools address Wednesday morning where he addressed this and other matters affecting the district.

WKYT previously reported Kentucky Department of Education numbers showing nearly 400 openings in Fayette County, but a district spokeswoman said that is because the state doesn’t remove a job posting until all of the necessary paperwork is completed. Teachers are being offered jobs and are accepting them, but they are not recognized right away by the state.

“We’re not as impacted by those shortages as maybe other communities are, so we’re blessed in that sense, but we know we’re going to continue to do more to attract the very best,” Caulk said.

While Fayette County isn’t seeing a dramatic teacher shortage, many districts across the state are seeing problems. The Kentucky Department of Education launched a campaign looking to get more people to pursue careers in teaching, including incentives.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Fayette-County-Superintendent-says-teacher-staffing-near-full-526032081.html

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Students continue to learn despite summer break

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – About 500 Fayette County School Students graduated Friday after five weeks of continuing to sharpen their skills, while school is out for summer break.

“You would generally find that students who you would pour so much into every year, over the summer because of the environment that they may have lived in because of the fact that they weren’t stimulated, those skills typically regressed,” explained Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk.

That’s why Caulk and the Fayette County School district partnered with the YMCA to start the Power Scholars Program. It aims to keep students from losing those skills and losing knowledge they gained while in school the previous year.

“On average these students will gain about three months of academic success in math and literacy,” explained YMCA Central Kentucky President and CEO David Martorano.

Parents piled into the Coventry Oaks Elementary School to watch their children graduate from the program. Parent Anley Contreres was among the crowd watching her son graduate.

“He’s happy to come every day. I thought he would have hated me for sending him but now he’s actually happy that he comes every day,” she said.

Contreres told WKYT having one of her children in a safe and stimulating environment makes her summer easier while she takes care of her other children.

“As a parent it has you thinking, ‘What are we going to do today?’ things like that.”

This is the third year for the program. Nearly 500 elementary and middle school students graduated from the program.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Students-continue-to-learn-despite-summer-break-512640801.html

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2019 PRIDE FEST: DAY TWO

Fayette County Schools had a booth at the festival for the very first time.

Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk said they are embracing diversity.

“We are showing our community, our families, our students that Fayette County is all about tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion,” Caulk said.

https://www.wtvq.com/2019/06/29/2019-pride-fest-day-two/

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‘Erase the Hate.’ Fayette County schools will have booth at Pride Fest for first time.

For the first time ever, Fayette County Public Schools will have a booth at Lexington’s Pride Fest on Saturday, June 29, Superintendent Manny Caulk announced Monday.

Caulk held up a t-shirt and said, “Erase the Hate” at the school board’s monthly meeting as he explained that he knew that some might disagree with the decision.

However, Caulk said, “the LGBTQ community represents our students, our families, and… equally important our colleagues that I have the pleasure of working side by side with each and every day and so we will have a booth to hand out brochures and information about Fayette County Public schools.”

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article231916053.html

‘It’s the right thing to do …’ Superintendent explains school district’s Pride Fest booth.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article232002957.html

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Fayette Co. Board of Education approves $579.9 million budget

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The Fayette County Board of Education approved a $579.9 million general fund budget Monday night.

Board members say it includes significant investments to ensure that a student’s demography does not determine their future.

“Developing a school district budget goes beyond juggling numbers to balance revenue and expenses,” said Superintendent Manny Caulk. “The budget is a reflection of our community’s hopes, dreams, and values about the future, about our children and the possibility of a better tomorrow. Our budget for 2019-2020 invests in our children and our employees.”

The budget fully funds the turnaround plans approved by the school board last month for the seven Fayette County elementary schools targeted by the state for Comprehensive Support and Improvement.

Five schools will offer Acceleration Learning Labs to extend the learning time for students who need it by providing evidence-based programs proven to boost student achievement after school.

Two schools – Harrison and William Wells Brown elementary schools – will pilot longer school days and a more extended school year in a model dubbed “promise academies.”

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Fayette-Co-Board-of-Education-approves-5799-million-budget-510195011.html

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Fayette County school board votes to move Central Office

The original Henry Clay High School, built in 1926, will house students again.

“In many ways, this structure helped build the foundation of our community,” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. “History happened in these halls as generations of Lexington residents were educated here. It’s only fitting that tomorrow’s students carry that tradition into the future.”

The board also unanimously voted to authorize the purchase of a 187,000 square foot office building from Lexmark for $10 million.

The building is at 450 Park Place near the Lexmark Campus and has been vacant since 2013.

The cost of renovating the existing central office would cost more than $27 million. Constructing a comparable office building would be more than $46.6 million.

The Lexmark building will not need renovations. Separating the utilities from the rest of the Lexmark campus will require about $3.5 million in construction work, making the total project cost $13.5 million.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Fayette-County-school-board-votes-to-move-Central-Office-510195471.html

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FCPS BUDGET ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- The Fayette County Board of Education approved a $579.9 million budget Monday.

According to the district, the budget includes investments to “ensure that a student’s demography does not determine his or her destiny.”

“Developing a school district budget goes beyond juggling numbers to balance revenue and expenses,” said Superintendent Manny Caulk. “The budget is a reflection of our community’s hopes, dreams, and values about the future, about our children and the possibility of a better tomorrow. Our budget for 2019-2020 invests in our children and our employees.”

https://www.wtvq.com/2019/05/21/fcps-budget-attempts-address-demographic-differences/

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Teachers could earn $14,000 more to work at Lexington schools making big changes.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article230080079.html

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IB Showcase demonstrates cohesive mission on Tates Creek campus

Leaders in the International Baccalaureate Programme hosted a student-driven showcase to spotlight the Tates Creek campus-wide initiative, which according to the IB learner profile, aims “to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.” Students and staff from Tates Creek elementary, middle, and high schools spent the morning exchanging ideas and chatting with district administrators and board members who joined the tour.

TCE / Primary Years Programme

In the elementary cafeteria, small groups of fifth-graders presented exhibition projects on topics ranging from litter, social media, and bullying to puppy mills, fossil fuels, and more. Selected middle and high school students browsed the poster boards, heard descriptions of their in-depth, collaborative inquiry, and offered feedback. “These projects reflect how we can fix a part of the world and contribute to global society’s health. It helps us be more connected to the world, and it helps you be more of a leader,” said Trae White, whose team explored food insecurity.

Lisa Johnson, the school’s PYP coordinator, said the youngsters were excited to share their work and build toward the next level. “We want them to take ownership of their learning,” she said. “They then go in (to middle school) a little more prepared, and hopefully that translates on up to the high school.” Principal Carrie Paul agreed about the IB progression, adding, “It provides a level of coherence and consistency across all three schools.”

TCMS / Middle Years Programme

At the middle school, eighth-graders offered up community projects they developed over many months. “It’s not just a research project. It’s a demonstration of what they’ve learned and all the skills they’ve been working on. It’s also about reflecting on how to put this presentation together,” said Kelly Sirginnis, the MYP coordinator, who also cited evidence of service and action, problem solving, design thinking, knowledge acquisition, and conceptual understanding. “The projects presented at each school demonstrate the breadth and depth of the IB program,” she noted.

For instance, Varun Hariprasad came up with a practical device to share with relatives in India, where electricity can be patchy. “I learned about this problem and set out to solve it,” he said. A magnet charged by an attached fidget spinner powers Varun’s simple flashlight, which he explains how to make on an accompanying website.

Closer to home, classmates Darius Gaston Garner and Trequan Logan have also made a difference. “Our project is about some kids in need. We wanted to help those who didn’t have much by providing toys, and we put smiles on their faces,” Trequan said of their donations drive for a Trent Boulevard daycare. The boys reached out to their schoolmates and teachers via email, flyers, and the morning news show, and collected a half-dozen boxes of stuffed animals, coloring books, action figures, and other toys. The gifts will be nice, but the true value will come in building relationships. “We wanted to give them something we didn’t have,” said Darius, who hopes the tots grow up in a positive environment.(Click here for video.)

TCHS / Diploma Programme

At Tates Creek High School, IB is an option for students who want a challenging college preparatory curriculum. Interested freshmen and sophomores take advanced-level core classes to prepare, and juniors and seniors are immersed in IB curriculum that leads to potentially earning an IB Diploma and college credit.  During the morning’s showcase, older students promoted IB via various subject areas like IB Psychology, IB Music, IB World Languages, IB Biology, and IB Chemistry.

Faith Hopps, a junior, hopes incoming students are open to the idea of the diploma programme. “IB makes for a close-knit community, and you’re all going through it together. It’s a lot of work, but you can do it. It’s not as scary as everyone makes it seem, and it’s worth it,” Faith said. “Whenever I go to college, I know I’m prepared,” she added. “I can manage my time and feel confident in my ability to be a good student and be successful.”

Program coordinator Delores Minor cited real-life preparedness as the overarching benefit, saying, “It’s important for Fayette County Public Schools to understand the impact IB can have on the community as a whole.”

Did you know? The International Baccalaureate Programme at Tates Creek High School is open to all FCPS students who want to challenge themselves with a rigorous college preparatory track. The application window is Aug. 15 through Oct. 7 for the following school year.

Save the date: Aug. 19 is the districtwide Program Information Night for gifted & talented services, magnet schools, and specialized academic programs.

https://www.fcps.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=710&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=33625&PageID=1

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Alumni Spotlight: Emmanuel (Manny) Caulk

This month’s spotlight features Emmanuel Caulk(The Broad Academy 2017-2018), Superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools and 2019 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year.

What initiative are you currently working on? 
In partnership with our local chamber of commerce, we are reinventing the high school experience to better prepare students for college and professional success in today’s competitive global economy. We have transformed our large, comprehensive high schools into “The Academies of Lexington” – small, career-themed, academies aligned with growing industries. As ninth-graders, students explore their strengths and interests, visiting college campuses and learning about potential career paths. Students then select an “academy” where they complete their high school coursework through the lens of a field of study such as engineering, medicine, information technology, education, manufacturing, business or professional services.

What is the most exciting potential outcome of this initiative?
In The Academies of Lexington, students work closely with professionals in their field of interest, participating in job shadowing, internships and other career exploration activities. This adds relevance to their studies and connects classroom knowledge to success in the workplace. Fayette County is raising the bar for our graduates. Our goal is not high school completion. We want our students to be future ready – equipped to excel in whatever field they choose for themselves, because the true benchmark of success is not a high school diploma, but where that diploma takes our students in life.

What is your vision for the organization in the next five years?
Our strategic plan charts the course to becoming a world-class system of great schools in which all students – regardless of demography or zip code – attend safe and inviting schools where they are welcomed by caring and committed staff and engaged in challenging learning activities. Our promise to the community is that every student who enters the doors of the district graduates academically prepared, college and career ready, civically engaged, culturally competent and equipped for the future. We will continue to bend the arc of justice toward equity until every child reaches his or her unlimited potential.

What inspires you to do this work? 
Education changed my life, and my calling is to share that gift with the children and families we serve. I grew up in abject poverty – under the weight of institutionalized racism and the cycle of poverty – in a city so violent it was nicknamed “Murder Town USA.” My path to a better life began at the schoolhouse door, and I credit my mother and my first male teacher with illuminating the way. My mother gave me the heart of a servant leader, raising me to make the best of every opportunity and to understand my moral obligation to help others, while my teacher encouraged me to dream bigger than I’d ever dared. My work today is an effort to do on a larger scale what they did for me by making a difference in the lives of the children we serve.

What is the last education-related book you read?
Find Your Why by Simon Sinek. Education is more than an occupation – it is a vocation, a calling. Our work is mission driven and requires that members of our team work from their why so that together we can change the world for the children and families we serve.

https://www.broadcenter.org/blog/alumni-spotlight-emmanuel-manny-caulk/

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Meadowthorpe, Sandersville win out in 2019 Superintendent’s Cup

Elementary school teams from Meadowthorpe and Sandersville capped the 2019 Academic Challenge season with division victories in the Superintendent’s Cup. These students, along with individual winners in the on-demand math/science and writing assessments, received scholarship offers from sponsoring colleges.

“It’s inspiring that more than a thousand students from 22 of our elementary schools participated in the Academic Challenge,” Superintendent Manny Caulk said at the March 26 awards ceremony. “This amazing opportunity shows the importance of learning at high levels. Events like this illustrate to our children that we value their intelligence.”

In the finale, the top primary and intermediate teams from the three regionals squared off in the district’s Norsworthy Auditorium to field core-content questions in math, science, language arts, social studies, arts and humanities, and practical living. The team with the most points after the 18-question match was declared champion.

Primary division(grades 2-3)

First place and winners of scholarship offers from Morehead State: Meadowthorpe (10 points, yellow region) – Joseph Caudill, Alexandra Fender, Taylor Freed, Walter Johnstone, Glory Nsonguh, and Chloe Strader.

Runner-up: Rosa Parks (9 points, orange region) – Ashritha Kakani, Lillian Mendiondo, James Nida, Wynston Shropshire, and Anna Kate Tekulve.

Third: Harrison (4 points, teal region) – Ezra Anglin, Alice Cottle, Davieon Williams, and Taegan Woodhead.

Intermediate division(grades 4-5)

First place and winners of scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky University: Sandersville (10 points, orange region) – Nana-Ekua Baidoo, Andrew Grace, Xavier Jackson, Ben Marsh, Chandler Puckett, and Brennan Stansbury.

Runner-up: Tates Creek (8 points, yellow region) – Jack Beehner, Aaron Hobson, Makaila Mason, Ariadna Osorio Orduna, Ethan Wen, and Cadyn Wilkinson.

Third: Deep Springs (6 points, teal region) – Lailand Hayes, Makaleigh Mitchell, Kaylee Ryker, Kinsley Varney, and Grace Yahr. (Sam Clough was absent because of illness.)

Individual awards

The following assessment winners, who were selected earlier, were also congratulated after the team competition.

Math & Science / Fifth-graders with scholarship offers from the University of Kentucky

• Yellow region – first place: Isabelle Dinh (Lansdowne); second: Angelia Stephens (Squires)
• Teal region – first place: Sophia Collins (Northern); second: Justice Cobb (Cardinal Valley)
• Orange region – first place: Abby Burton (Cassidy); second: Andrew Grace (Sandersville)

Writing / Fourth-graders with scholarship offers from Bluegrass Community & Technical College

• Yellow region – first place: Joel Ndayisaba (Coventry Oak); second: Riley Franco (Squires)
• Teal region – first place: Storey Lowry (Arlington); second: Jacob Lintner (Deep Springs)
• Orange region – first place: Aryan Bazrgari (Veterans Park); second: Haley Meszaros (Cassidy)

Annissa Franklin of the Urban League thanked all the community supporters and college sponsors for their ongoing participation. “This amazing support will help transform our schools and our students’ lives,” Caulk added.

The Academic Challenge program, which is organized by the Urban League and Fayette County Public Schools, aims to instill the importance of education and help close achievement gaps through a competitive tournament that children look forward to. Students receive trophies, medals, and certificates for participating, and the sponsoring colleges extend scholarship offers in the finale.

All students in grades 2-5 are welcome to compete; please contact the elementary school’s Academic Challenge coach in early fall to sign up a child. For 2019 competition questions, email the appropriate regional coordinator: Rhonda Parrigin (yellow), Emily Loscheider (teal), or Sydney Scott (orange). For general information, email Rose Santiago in the district’s office of Family and Community Engagement.

https://www.fcps.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=7575&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=33274&PageID=1

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Kentucky school district hosts Bullying and Suicide Prevention Summit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Jefferson County Public Schools is holding the district’s first Bullying and Suicide Prevention Summit.

The district says in a statement that Thursday’s summit is an effort to create a dialogue on issues that teenagers face and develop strategies that will support them.

Superintendent Marty Pollio announced the summit last month as a way to expand awareness about the increase in teen suicide and provide additional training for administrators and educators. Superintendents from around the state have been invited to attend.

The event will include a panel discussion featuring Pollio and Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. Other featured speakers include Malcolm Smith and Kevin Briggs. Smith is a national authority on bullying and peer victimization. Briggs is an international speaker on crisis management, suicide prevention and leadership skills.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Kentucky-school-district-hosts-Bullying-and-Suicide-Prevention-Summit-507397281.html

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STATE REVIEW AFFIRMS LEADERSHIP CAPACITY IN FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- The Kentucky Department of Education has affirmed that the Fayette County Public Schools district leadership team, under the direction of Superintendent Manny Caulk, has the capacity to support improvement efforts for schools.

An external audit – called a district diagnostic review – was conducted in February because seven of the district’s 54 schools were identified for “Comprehensive Support and Intervention” under the state’s new school ratings system. The review included interviews with more than 90 students, employees, family and community members, observations of 45 classrooms and the examination of hundreds of documents.

District officials are in the process of analyzing the complete findings of the review and determining next steps. Leaders throughout the district have worked to establish the systems and structures necessary for student success. The state report recognized those efforts and identified areas where improvement is needed as the district implements its strategic plan.

Because the tool used to evaluate schools and districts has changed considerably, a direct comparison cannot be made to the state audits that took place in 2015, 2016 and 2017. However, it is encouraging to note that in 2015 the state’s review identified six improvement priorities, and in 2019 there are three.

As early as his first week on the job, Caulk had voiced concerns that urban superintendents in Kentucky did not have the tools to take swift and decisive action to support high-asset schools and intervene when necessary. He embraced the flexibility afforded under the new accountability system, which transferred the statutory authority previously granted to the School Based Decision Making councils in CSI schools to the superintendent.

https://www.wtvq.com/2019/03/19/state-review-affirms-leadership-capacity-fayette-county-public-schools/

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New Elementary School To Be Named In Honor Of Fallen Lexington Firefighter

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18)- The Fayette County Board of Education has agreed unanimously to name the city’s latest elementary school after a fallen Lexington firefighter.

Brenda Cowan was the city’s first African-American female firefighter. She was killed in the line of duty in 2004 when she was shot while trying to help a patient.

A campaign was launched when Frederick Douglass High School was being built to name the school after Cowan, but the group was unsuccessful. That all changed Monday evening when the board voted unanimously to name the school in honor of the first responder, a school board member confirms.

“It is absolutely fitting that we should name our newest school for a courageous woman like Lt. Cowan, who gave her life in service to our community,” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. 

https://lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/2019/02/25/new-elementary-school-to-be-named-in-honor-of-fallen-lexington-firefighter/

Movers and Shakers: Kentucky K12 district leader establishes office for educating minorities

Superintendent Manny Caulk ofFayette County Public Schoolshas established the first grant-funded office for educating minorities in a Kentucky school district. During his first year as superintendent, Caulk also created 100 strategies for students to obtain academic excellence. He has worked with local business leaders to redesign the district’s high schools and launched the Give 10 volunteer campaign.

http://districtadministration.com/kentucky-district-leader-establishes-office-for-educating-minorities/

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With deadly shootings on their minds, lawmakers unveil bill to try to make schools safer

Recalling the murder of two students at Marshall County last year and other shootings in the nation’s schools, state Sen. Max Wise unveiled a comprehensive 30-page bill Wednesday intended to make Kentucky schools safer.

Wise, R-Campbellsville, said the measure, Senate Bill 1, addresses “a pressing issue” that lawmakers can and must address.

Senate Bill 1, the School Safety and Resiliency Act, is a product of a 16-member, bipartisan panel of senators and representatives….

The Fayette County Public Schools Board this past summer approved a tax increase that is paying for Superintendent Manny Caulk’s $13.5 million plan to improve safety in Lexington public schools. The multifaceted plan already underway includes walk-through metal detectors, improvements to school vestibules and the hiring of more district police officers, mental health professionals and nurses.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article224098360.html

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High-poverty K12 schools show high growth

Here’s a scenario that frustrates many educators: An economically disadvantaged student—or a child who doesn’t speak English—starts elementary school two or three grades behind. Teachers bring that student up by a grade level or more by the end of the year, yet state and federal accountability standards penalize the district if the student hasn’t reached full proficiency.

“State assessments measure the effect of poverty as opposed to the value added by the teacher, the school and the learning environment,” says Emmanuel Caulk, superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools in Kentucky. “Schools that serve students in collective poverty can show growth above the national norm, which means they’re growing faster than their peers. They should be rewarded for that.”

http://districtadministration.com/category/student-success/

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Fayette County’s Manny Caulk named Kentucky Superintendent of the Year

Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk on Monday was named Kentucky Superintendent of the Year.

Caulk, who was hired by the local school board in 2015, “has led Fayette County Public Schools through a dramatic turnaround by intentionally engaging students, staff, families, and community members in a top to bottom examination of the district and building systems necessary for sustained success ,” a news release from the Kentucky Association of School Administrators said.

Finalists were chosen based on creativity in meeting students’ needs, communication, professionalism and community involvement.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article221773150.html

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Fayette County’s Manny Caulk finalist for superintendent of the year

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County Superintendent Dr. Emmanuel Caulk is one of four people in the running for the 2019 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year Award.

The Kentucky Association of School Administrators announced the finalists Friday morning. The other three finalists are Sherry Horsley in Greenup County, Steve Miracle in Trimble County and Patricia Sheffer in Union County.

“They are exemplary leaders who have distinguished themselves and their districts by leading by example and setting a clear vision for the students and communities they serve,” said Executive Deputy Director Rhonda Caldwell.

The association said Caulk was selected as a finalist because he “led Fayette County Schools through a dramatic turnaround by intentionally engaging students, staff, families, and community members in a top to bottom examination of the district and building systems necessary for sustained success.”

The winner, who will be announced Nov. 19, will participate in the American Association of School Administrators’ Superintendent of the Year Awardprogram and be recognized nationally.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Fayette-Countys-Manny-Caulk-a-finalist-for-superintendent-of-the-year-500674191.html

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More Than A Thousand Gather For Prayer Vigil In Downtown Lexington

A crowd estimated at more than a thousand gathered in downtown Lexington last night to remember the victims of hate crimes in Pittsburg and Louisville.  It was an evening filled with emotional speeches, songs, and religious rituals.  

The two hour program began with a song Rabbi David Wirtshafter said was popularized during the 1960’s, remembering sacrifices of the civil rights period.

The event, originally scheduled for Temple Adath Israel, was moved to the Fayette Public Schools auditorium.  Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk says educators volunteering for the prayer vigil kept stressing a key point. “They told me to teach the children.  We all know that hate is learned.  It can be unlearned.  But, you know what else is learned.  Love,” said Caulk.

http://www.weku.fm/post/more-thousand-gather-prayer-vigil-downtown-lexington

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Transylvania announces partnership with Lexington high school to provide scholarships to IT Academy graduates

 LEXINGTON, Ky. — Beginning in 2019, graduates of the Academy of Information Technology at Bryan Station High School will be eligible to receive a minimum $18,000 scholarship to attend Transylvania University. The newly announced partnership not only recognizes the achievements of academy graduates, but also provides them with a path to further their education at one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges.

“The work Bryan Station and its academies are doing to empower individuals to become globally-minded citizens goes hand-in-hand with our mission at Transylvania,” said President Seamus Carey. “We want students from throughout our community to know they can afford a top-level liberal arts education right here in Lexington, and we’re taking the steps to help make that happen for them.”

“With this commitment, Transylvania University is taking community partnership to the next level,” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. “The Fayette County Public Schools Portrait of a Graduate is our promise to families that when you choose our schools, you are choosing an experience for your child designed to equip them to excel in whatever future they can imagine for themselves. This significant scholarship opportunity expands the world of possibilities for the graduates of Bryan Station High School.”

https://www.lanereport.com/106007/2018/09/transylvania-announces-partnership-with-lexington-high-school-to-provide-scholarships-to-it-academy-graduates/

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Timeline announced for Fayette Co. school safety improvements

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County school district leaders unveiled on Monday the timelines for each step of their 10-point safety plan.

At a school board planning meeting, administrators said several steps are already underway, including launching the processes to hire more law enforcement officers and mental health professionals for schools.

The district hopes to put walk-through metal detectors at all high schools by spring break. The plan is to put them in the county’s middle schools next school year.

District leaders have set a target completion date of January 2020 for the construction of secure vestibules.

The steps are part of a 10-point safety plan Superintendent Manny Caulk proposed earlier this year, saying the plan will make the district among the safest in the country. Some of the plan includes security upgrades, metal detectors, social media monitoring and an upgraded communication system.

The $13.5 million plan is being funded through a five-cent property tax increase approved by the district’s board of education in July. An effort to let Fayette County voters decide whether to approve the increase failed after organizers were unable to gather enough signatures.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Timeline-announced-for-Fayette-Co-school-safety-improvements-492915781.html

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 Fayette schools Superintendent Caulk says its school safety plan, now moving ahead, is model for nation

After considering other ways of funding these critical investments, the Fayette County Board of Education voted on July 18th to approve a 5-cent property tax to pay for the safety plan.

Just days after their vote, a handful of local residents announced their intention to gather enough petitions to overturn that action and force a special election to implement the safety plan. Shortly before their deadline at the close of business Tuesday afternoon, leaders of the effort announced that they were thousands of signatures short.

Less than 24 hours later, Caulk and the Fayette County Public Schools were featured on the front page of the nation’s flagship education publication as a model for other school districts seeking community engagement to address school safety issues.

“Just as we predicted, this community is now showing the rest of America how we can all come together to safeguard our children and educators before a tragedy strikes,” Caulk said.

On the heels of the school shootings in Marshall County, Kentucky, and Parkland, Florida, last January and February, issues of school safety have been on the forefront of public policy discussions nationally. State legislatures have considered at least 261 school safety bills according to the National Conference of State Legislatures found. Those proposals most commonly focused on law enforcement, providing additional school safety funding, adjusting laws related to carrying guns in schools, and school police.

Last spring, the school district established the District Safety Advisory Council to examine best practices in school safety and develop actionable recommendations to ensure that our children are safe at school, at home, and in the community. Comprised of 28 students, parents, educators, first responders, city officials, and business, faith and community leaders selected for their experience and expertise in the area of safety and emergency management, the council released a white paper outlining specific actions for lawmakers, schools and districts, families and students and the community at large.

The recommendations made for schools and districts led to the creation of Caulk’s Comprehensive 10-Point Safety Investment Plan. Each component of the plan addresses an existing need, not only to prevent a school shooting, but also to mitigate the other risks our students face including bullying, self-harm, suicide, drug use, online exploitation, trauma, and community-based issues.

When fully implemented, the plan calls for placing a law enforcement officer in every school, hiring more mental health professionals to bring the per-pupil ratio to national best practices, adding teams of security monitors in all middle and high schools, and addressing adolescent health in a comprehensive way by adding full time nurses in every middle and high school and special program, and contracting with University of Kentucky for follow up medical and mental health care. It also includes facility upgrades such as security alarms on all exterior doors, secure vestibules, cameras, security systems and internal door security, metal detectors at all middle and high schools, social media monitoring, an emergency communication system, expanded safety and emergency training, a districtwide Social and Emotional Learning curriculum, and ID badges for staff, contractors and middle and high school students.

“I stand before you today humbled,” Caulk said. “I often refer to myself as your servant superintendent because my faith guides my work. This effort has been a journey far greater than I would have or could have designed. This process was driven by a force greater than us.”

https://www.kyforward.com/fayette-schools-superintendent-caulk-says-its-school-safety-plan-is-a-model-for-national/

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 Fayette Schools Prepare to Move Forward with Safety Program

Fayette County Public Schools moves forward with $13.5M security plan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Fayette County Public Schools is addressing the next steps it will take toward implementing its $13.5 million school security plan.

The plan is being funded through five-cent property tax increase approved by the district’s board of education in July. An effort to let Fayette County voters decide whether to approve the increase failed after organizers were unable to gather enough signatures.

Superintendent Manny Caulk has called for a 10-point safety plan in Fayette County, and he discussed what the district plans on doing to implement it during a Friday news conference.

Caulk argues the plan will make the district among the safest in the country. Some of the plan includes security upgrades, metal detectors, social media monitoring and an upgraded communication system. The plan received the backing from business leaders, as Commerce Lexington pledged support for the proposal.

As far as the personnel part of the plan goes the first phase will be to hire more school law enforcement officers and mental health professionals, and Caulk believes the district could begin implementing those changes after fall break.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Here-are-the-steps-Fayette-County-Public-Schools-are-taking-with-135M-security-plan-492708851.html

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 Buses become ‘rolling libraries’ as Lexington public schools reopen

Fayette County school bus driver Randall Cottongim started the first day of the 2018-19 school year Wednesday with a surprise for his young passengers.

Pointing to a pouch behind his seat filled with books, he told the kids heading to Lexington’s Cardinal Valley Elementary that they could borrow a book to read each day to and from school.

Second-grader Jason Ramirez turned the pages of a book about George Washington Carver.

““I like to read,” he said.

In 2015, Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk’s first year in the district, he rode a bus on the first day of school and brought a book along to read with students and told the story of how he learned to love reading.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article216654285.html

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FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO LAUNCH “2018 SCHOOL’S OPEN DRIVE CAREFULLY CAMPAIGN”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- We’re just one day away from the first day of classes in Fayette County, and there’s a new campaign to help drivers be cautious during morning commutes.

Fayette County Public Schools and AAA are partnering to launch the 2018 School’s Open Drive Campaign later this morning at Cassidy Elementary School.

There’s a press conference being held at 10:30 a.m. this morning to help increase the awareness of this issue.

It’s a new campaign being introduced by FCPS Superintendent Manny Caulk, Regional Director of Public and Government Affairs Cheryl Parker, and Transportation Director Marcus Dobbs.

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Fayette Co. Superintendent Gives State Of The Schools Address

LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) During the State of the Schools address by Superintendent Manny Caulk Wednesday, school safety was one of the many topics he addressed. 

Superintendent Manny Caulk discussed this year’s graduates, the largest graduating class to date in Fayette County. These students had 16 perfect ACT scores, which is six times the national rate.

Caulk said that in the past year, they have put more than $2 million towards improved education for special needs students. 

He also applauded them for having the High School Teacher of the Year for the state of Kentucky. Caulk addressed the district’s focus on ensuring that every Fayette County neighborhood has a safe school.

In addition, he spoke about what the Fayette County students will lose, should the school safety tax get recalled. 

“Whether or not that threat can happen here…that question has been answered time, and time, and time again in our community,” said Caulk. “As a community, what’s the price that we’re willing to pay?”

“There’s a cost, right. There’s a cost of doing something but there’s also a cost that’s unquantifiable. And that’s the cost of doing nothing. And that’s a cost our community simplycannot afford,” he said.

http://www.lex18.com/story/38788860/fayette-co-superintendent-gives-state-of-the-schools-address

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FCPS Superintendent discusses district vision at “State of the Schools” event

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WLYT) – With the first day of school on the horizon, Superintendent Manny Caulk met with the public on Wednesday to discuss what Fayette County Schools are doing well and what can be improved at a “State of the Schools” event.

FCPS Superintendent Manny Caulk (Photo: WKYT/Andrea Walker)

“Obviously we want to make sure our students are safe, our students are learning and our students are growing,” said Caulk.

During the address, the Superintendent talked about what he calls the district’s portrait of a graduate – what the district wants to see in each of its students.

http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/FCPS-Superintendent-discusses-district-vision-at-State-of-the-Schools-event-489780611.html

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Kentucky Board Approves Tax Increase to Make Schools Safer

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2018-07-19/kentucky-board-approves-tax-increase-to-make-schools-safer

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Fayette Co. School Board votes to fund security upgrades with new tax

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The Fayette County School Board has voted to implement a tax increase, in an effort to provide security upgrades at schools. The board’s vote was 4-0 in favor of the proposal.

Lauren Minor

The tax is forecasted to fund $13.5 million in school security upgrades, but it comes at a cost to property owners, who will have to pay an additional five cents per $100 worth of property value. The average Fayette County property owner will pay $88 more annually as a result.

At tonight’s school board meeting, those in attendance went over a 10-point plan to make the district the “safest in America”. The plan includes placing law enforcement officers at every school, hiring more mental health workers and facility enhancements designed to provide more security. This includes adding metal detectors in every middle and high school.

Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk had proposed the new tax himself.

http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Fayette-Co-School-Board-votes-to-fund-security-upgrades-with-new-tax-488562011.html?ref=011

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Fayette Co. School Board Passes Tax Increase For School Safety

LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) The Fayette County School Board has unanimously passed a tax increase for a school safety plan.

There was a full house at the Fayette County School’s Office on Wednesday for the public hearing, proposing a 5 cent property tax increase for every $100 of property to fund new school safety measures. The property tax increase would cost the average homeowner about $88 a year, depending on their property value.

During the hearing Wednesday, Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk made some opening remarks and leaders walked the attendees through the district’s 10 point safety plan:

http://www.lex18.com/story/38678913/fayette-co-school-board-passes-tax-increase-for-school-safety

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Two new principals named at Fayette County elementary schools.

Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk on Monday announced new principals for two Lexington elementary schools

Claudine Barrow is the new principal of Rosa Parks Elementary School and Shannon Blackburn is the new principal of Ashland Elementary School.

Each of the principals previously served as professional growth and effectiveness coaches in the district.

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article214978440.html

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Sweeping safety upgrade proposed for Lexington schools — and tax increase to pay for it

Fayette County School Superintendent Manny Caulk unveiled a sweeping plan to make Lexington schools safer — from more counselors to more metal detectors — a plan paid for with $13.5 million in increased property taxes.

“School districts across the nation are investing in initiatives designed to improve school safety,” Caulk said efforts that might include increased security at school buildings or expanding mental health.

“Those efforts are laudable, but the report from our District Safety Advisory Council made it clear that only a comprehensive approach will be successful.”

https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article214183374.html

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Fayette Schools Chief Proposes Raising $13.5M For Security With Property Tax Hike

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The leader of Fayette County Public Schools on Monday proposed spending $13.5 million to implement a security plan that would be paid for by raising property taxes.

Superintendent Manny Caulk says the proposed “10-point plan” would comprehensively address school safety issues, from adding police and upgrading security infrastructure at schools to providing expanded mental health supervision and services.

Caulk said he will ask the Board of Education to seek a 5-cent increase in property taxes, which the school district says would cost the owner of a $175,000 home an extra $88 per year. That would allow the district to spend $13.5 million the first year to begin enacting the security plan.

 “Implementing these changes comes with a cost,” Caulk said in a statement. “But I assure you that there is also a cost for doing nothing.  And that is a price we simply can’t afford.” 

Read the proposed safety plan below:

http://www.lex18.com/story/38557796/fayette-schools-chief-proposes-raising-135m-for-security-with-property-tax-hike

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Fayette Schools Plan $13 Million School Safety Upgrades

A plan to spend $13 million for upgraded safety and mental healthservices in Fayette schools will soon go before the school board.

Superintendent Manny Caulk unveiled the 10-point program Monday at Dunbar High School.

http://weku.fm/post/fayette-schools-plan-13-million-school-safety-upgrades

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Lexington school superintendent proposes 5 cent property tax for school safety

Fayette County schools could adopt property tax that would

fund school safety initiative

Fayette County could adopt a property tax increase that would fund a $13.5 million initiative to increase safety in public schools.

Superintendent Manny Caulk describes a sweeping school safety plan for Lexington.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iQsteH3fiU

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YMCA, FCPS Expand Effective Summer Enrichment Program

Encouraged by positive results in reducing the achievement gap in the first year of the program, the YMCA of Central Kentucky and Fayette County Public Schools are expanding the Power Scholars Academy summer program this year to help four times as many students as a year ago.

The five-week, free program – a joint effort of the YMCA and BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) – offers full-day summer learning activities geared for students struggling in math and literacy.
The program is designed to combat summer learning loss, and data from the first year showed that 111 students not only beat the summer slide, they even showed a three-month advancement in literacy and math.

Starting Monday, June 11, the second year of the program begins with 480 elementary and middle school students from 13 schools meeting at three hub sites – Booker T. Washington and Yates Elementary Schools and Bryan Station Middle.

“Based on the outcomes of our initial efforts last summer, the need to reach as many young people through the Power Scholars Academy is absolutely critical,” YMCA CEO David Martorano said at a press conference Tuesday, June 5.

“Ensuring that all children are afforded the opportunity to advance rather than regress in fundamental areas of learning is essential to their short and long-term success.”

An ecstatic FCPS Superintendent Manny Caulk said the renewal of the partnership with the YMCA and the expansion of the Power Scholars Program met a moral imperative for FCPS.

“In order to address the opportunity and equity gaps in our community, we have to provide extended learning for our most vulnerable students,” he said. “Children living in poverty lose the most during the summer, so we have a duty, we have a responsibility, we must fill that void for them.

YMCA, FCPS Expand Effective Summer Enrichment Program

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District Safety Advisory Council challenges community to step up

Superintendent Manny Caulk has issued a call to action from the District Safety Advisory Council that highlights areas crucial to ensuring safety across Fayette County Public Schools.

“The issues that put our children at risk are complex and require broad-based solutions that bridge homes and schools. Council members identified critical next steps for lawmakers, schools and districts, students, families, and our community. Now it’s up to us to act on those recommendations,” he wrote in the white paper’s opening letter. Caulk challenged the community to take action for needed change, saying, “Today in Fayette County there are children living with violence and fear. Are we ready to make tomorrow different? Do we have the collective will to be champions for children?”

https://www.fcps.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=7576&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=25051&PageID=1

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First Lexington high school gets fixed metal detectors. More could be on the way.

For the first time, Fayette County Public Schools started using stationary or fixed metal detectors to check students for weapons this week.

The school district will begin phasing in the use of the equipment at Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School between now and the end of the school year. The equipment was put in place on Monday so students could familiarize themselves with the set-up as they enter the building.

Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk also called for Lexington’s five other high schools to get fixed metal detectors. District spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said the cost for the metal detectors at Douglass was $44,350.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article210950209.html

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 ‘It brings school to life.’ A plane, a bus, a mock crash. Students knew just what to do.

Screams of agony filled Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School parking lot on Thursday as students carried out a mock scenario in which a Cessna airplane attempted to make an emergency landing and crashed into a bus filled with passengers.

Health Science Academy students at Frederick Douglass were taking their final exam as a large-scale accident with multiple injuries was staged in the back parking lot of the school. Some of the 205 students posed as patients, others evaluated the patients for injuries and others made decisions on how they would treat patients who had sustained injuries.

“We’re giving them as real life scenario as we possibly can with emergency personnel from throughout the city,” said Heather Brinkman, the principal of Douglass’ health science academy.

Frederick Douglass is one of three Fayette County Public high schools included in the initiative called The Academies of Lexington, for the first time offering students a new kind of educational experience that connects what they’re learning in the classroom with the real world. Bryan Station and Tates Creek High Schools also have the academy model and officials at all three schools say they are transforming learning.

“We don’t want our students asking, ‘why do I have to learn this?’’” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. “By providing opportunities for career exploration we are giving students the opportunity to find what they are most passionate about and then tailor their high school experience to support the directions they choose for themselves.”

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/article209145114.html

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Fayette Schools Chief Came to Frankfort Friday

A trip to Memphis as the country reflected on the 50 years since the death of civil rights leader Martin Luther King influenced Fayette Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk’s participation in teacher protests in Frankfort. 

Caulk said the MLK commemoration made him reflect on those called to service and their impact on policy. 
He says the teacher cries for better pay and funding in Frankfort are being heard in a number of states. “When you consider what West Virginia has done in increased salaries there to make their teacher salaries more competitive to attract the best. Arizona just did the same thing,” said Caulk. “These are Republican led states.” 

Caulk says there has also been increased per pupil funding along with more school safety funding in Florida. The school superintendent applauds Kentucky lawmakers for increasing per pupil funding in the approved state budget. Caulk says, it is a “starting point.” 

 http://weku.fm/post/fayette-schools-chief-came-frankfort-friday

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In Kentucky, teachers claim victory as vetoes rejected

When asked by a WDRB News reporter about the teachers who rallied on Friday, Bevin spent more than a minute describing how he believed the closed schools may have contributed to people preying on children. Right now, I feel our students need all of us here as we have to model our full commitment to our students.

Current benefits for teachers will go untouched, but there will be a new pension plan for incoming ones.

In Fayette County, public schools Superintendent Manny Caulk invited everyone to go with him to Kentucky’s Capitol Friday to fight for issues important to Lexington schools. Opponents worry this will discourage young people from becoming teachers.

Teachers are also upset over cuts to pension benefits for state workers – the biggest cuts will be felt by future teachers, who will be moved out of the conventional pension system.

http://lisahavennews.net/2018/04/15/in-kentucky-teachers-claim-victory-as-vetoes-rejected.html

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LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18) Fayette County Public School Spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall released a statement in regards to classes being cancelled Friday as teachers send a message to Frankfort after the passage of the pension bill.

You can read it below: 

“There were no classes on Friday after the Fayette County Public Schools announced it was closing, but there were plenty of lessons taught.

Hundreds of employees came to school to assemble and deliver thousands of bags of food for children living in poverty and open gyms and libraries so students had a place to spend a rainy day.

“In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, ‘The time is always right to do what is right,’” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk. “Even as they sent a message to lawmakers with their absences, our employees also sent a message to our students with their actions.”

Family Resource and Youth Service Center Coordinators helped organize the community wide effort to deliver food which involved more than 40 elementary, middle and high schools across Lexington and pulled together teachers, principals, classified employees, and community volunteers.

Weekend backpack programs provide a much needed service to families throughout the district every week. With school being closed on Friday and spring break looming, there was a sense of urgency to ensure those groceries made it into the homes of students.

http://www.lex18.com/story/37849759/fayette-county-public-schools-spokeswoman-releases-statement

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‘Drastic measures.’ Teachers stay home, districts cancel school after pension vote.

Kentucky’s two largest school districts in Jefferson and Fayette counties were among 26 across the state that closed schools Friday after hundreds of school employees refused to work following the legislature’s passage of pension reform.

Fayette County District spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall said on Thursday night, more than 1,200 school employees reported they would be absent.

The news came after the state legislature passed a surprise pension-reform bill in Frankfort. At least 15 districts said they were closing because of teacher absences. About another 10 closed Friday morning without explanation. In addition, Breathitt County said it’s dismissing at 12 p.m. but gave no public explanation…

KEA officials said that a rally was planned for Monday in Frankfort.

Before district officials called off school on Thursday night, Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk told the Herald-Leader, “We certainly support our teachers. We stand with our teachers and all of our educators across the Commonwealth.”

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article207399739.html

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 FCPS Safety Advisory Council closer to making final recommendations

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – After a month of meetings, the Fayette Co. District Safety Advisory Council met for the last time.

The council brainstormed recommendations Thursday night, which they plan to present to policymakers based on what experts said in previous meetings. The meetings discussed a wide-range of topics including juvenile justice, mental health, student voice, and social media.

“We want solutions that can be used across our system, across our county, and also … tailored to individual schools,” said Fayette Co. Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk.

Members met in small groups looking at best practices discussed throughout the meetings and what it would take to implement them. They then presented to the council mentioning solutions ranging in topics from metal detectors, school counselors, student field trips, and juvenile justice reform.

For people in the audience, certain ideas stuck out to them.

“I am thrilled that yoga and mindfulness was mentioned,” said Lafayette High School teacher Mary Kay Howard. “I think they’re looking at a holistic approach to this and I hope that our voices are going to be heard.”

http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/FCPS-Safety-Advisory-Council-closer-to-making-final-recommendations-478361523.html

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‘Infuriating.’ In Lexington, state budget cuts could equal 304 teachers, district says.

If the Fayette County school district were to lose $18.4 million in budget cuts proposed by Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, it would be the equivalent of 304 teachers, board members were told this week.

That amount would also be the equivalent of the operating costs of one middle or one high school or the cost of building an elementary school from the ground up, Budget Director Julane Mullins said at the school board’s regular monthly meeting Monday.

Mullins and Fayette Chief Financial Officer John White talked about the potential impact on the district of the draft budget proposals that have been presented by House and Senate lawmakers in the current General Assembly and by Bevin. There had been no final decisions made yet, and no staffing cuts have been announced. The House and Senate are in negotiations to try to reach agreement on a two-year spending plan for the state.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article207119309.html

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BGCF On The Table 2018 Announcement | Ace Weekly

Lexington teachers hold walk-ins over pension bill

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – A day after Governor Matt Bevin said protestors were “throwing a temper tantrum,” teachers demonstrated Thursday morning outside several Lexington schools.

Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk joined teachers at Tates Creek High School. Caulk said he was disappointed by Bevin’s comments but added he was pleased with the response from other Republican lawmakers.

At Southern Elementary School, teacher Christy Wilson explained why she’s frustrated with the proposed pension bill.

“We have done our part. We have paid-in every paycheck,” Wilson said. “There are retirees that have done more than their part. It’s about the future of Kentucky’s education system. It’s all about the kids. We’ve done our part and we just expect them to do their part.”

http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Lexington-teachers-hold-walk-ins-over-pension-bill-476936633.html

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 Superintendent: Fixed metal detectors to expand to other Fayette middle, high schools

Fixed metal detectors will expand into more Fayette County middle and high schools, Superintendent Manny Caulk said at a Monday board planning meeting.

“We are moving ahead as a district to begin the installation of stationary metal detectors,” Caulk said in a Sunday letter to families.

On Monday, he asked the Fayette County Board of Education to consider the necessary policy and procedural changes to clear the way for the use of fixed metal detectors in schools. No vote was taken at a planning meeting, members said, but one could be at the regular meeting later in the month.

“On Tuesday, we have our first meeting with a firm that specializes in the installation of metal detectors,” Caulk said. He said costs had not been determined yet.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article204668174.html

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Fayette Co. school board discusses installing fixed metal detectors

Fayette Co. school board discusses installing fixed metal detectors.

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Lexington superintendent implores Bevin to develop, fund statewide school safety plan

Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk at Monday’s school board meeting praised Florida Republican Governor Rick Scott’s $500 million school safety plan and implored Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin to follow that lead.

Since January, both Florida and Kentucky have seen fatal school shootings.

Caulk noted that in response to the school shooting in Florida, Republican Governor Rick Scott had issued an action plan to put a law enforcement officer in every public school, hire mental health counselors in every school, and increase safe schools funding to provide metal detectors, bulletproof glass, steel doors and upgraded locks in schools.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article202336984.html

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‘He sees promise.’ Lexington superintendent wins national recognition.

Education Week on Wednesday profiled Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk in its annual special report on 12 exceptional school district leaders from across the country.

“This year, we have profiled Fayette County Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk for his outstanding work on stabilizing the school district and putting it on a path to educating all students at a high level. He was selected from among hundreds of nominees,” said Lesli A. Maxwell, Assistant Managing Editor.

The article said that Caulk “has restored calm and instilled confidence in Fayette County, a district where success had been undermined by school board infighting, a clear lack of focus on struggling schools, and constant changes in leadership.”

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article201296524.html#0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C0M3NgnSHY

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 ‘Time for action.’ More metal detectors among safety changes coming to Fayette schools

More hand-held metal detectors, more locked doors and increased emergency drills are among the new safety measures that Fayette County Schools are implementing as the nation focuses on school safety, Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk announced Thursday.

Caulk said he is also establishing a new safety advisory panel that will revisit the idea of stationary metal detectors in Fayette schools as part of making recommendations for improvements. But he said there is more to be done beyond the district, and he called on Gov. Matt Bevin to look at the issue of school safety “systemically across the state.”

“The safety of a child’s learning experience shouldn’t depend on where you reside, what district you are in, what community you are in,” Caulk said. “Every child deserves to learn in a safe environment. We should be having statewide conversations about what’s best practice around safety and security and follow through with recommendations with funding.”

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article201523954.html

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Fayette agrees to buy land in Peninsula development for Squires Road middle school

Lexington is a step closer to having its first new middle school since 2004.

On Monday, Fayette County’s school board voted unanimously to buy about 20 acres of land in the Peninsula development along Squires Road in northeast Lexington.

Kentucky American Water Co. is selling the land at $103,000 an acre, or about $2 million total.

“Land is hard to come by here in Fayette County, and we are thankful that the water company had the foresight to identify suitable property for a new school in a developing area like this one,” Superintendent Manny Caulk said in a statement. “As a growing district, we have to be diligent about staying ahead of new housing construction while also ensuring that we are taking care of our existing buildings.”

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article197308909.html

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American Dream denied to poor Ky. kids by Bevin’s budget

Gov. Matt Bevin was absolutely right last week to draw on the words of a philosopher of the American Revolution to describe the current economic and political circumstances in Kentucky. Quoting Thomas Paine, Bevin prefaced his budget address by saying, “these are the times that try men’s souls.”

That famous quote comes from a pamphlet called “The Crisis,” which Paine wrote in 1776. In addition to containing an apt description of our present state, Paine’s essay contains a call to action for all of us and shines a light on the path forward to a better tomorrow.

Paine pointed out that times of crisis and panic, “sift out the hidden thoughts of man, and hold them up in public to the world.”

How we as leaders on a state and local level respond to the litany of crises Bevin outlined in his budget remarks will reveal what we truly value.

Like the governor, I believe in the American Dream. As a child in Wilmington, Del., I lived in abject poverty, facing housing insecurity and food scarcity. My road out ran through the schoolhouse door.

The climb is steeper today. Research demonstrates that it is becoming increasingly difficult for families in the United States to move out of poverty. The American Dream — that each generation is able to achieve more than the generation before — has stalled.

Our lawmakers can enact policies that either exacerbate or ameliorate that reality. We need the collective power of the General Assembly and administration to enact legislation to sow seeds of opportunity in communities gripped by hopelessness and despair.

In his message the governor noted that for too long people in the commonwealth have chosen comforting lies over the unpleasant truth.

I applaud the governor for his efforts to begin the budget conversation by showing us all a worst-case scenario if we are unwilling to address comprehensive tax reform. Although I am encouraged by his recommendation to fully fund the state’s actuarially required contribution for the state employee and teachers’ retirement systems, the recommendations for how to pay for it are untenable. As Bevin himself said, “the reality is we don’t have enough money to meet the obligations that this state has.”

Nearly three decades after the Rose decision that led to comprehensive school reform, our commonwealth is moving farther away from providing an equitable and adequate education for all children. Kentucky’s public schools are already woefully underfunded, and a 62 percent cut to transportation funding that equates to a reduction of $211 per pupil is not a viable solution.

The unpleasant truth is that if we are unwilling to finally step up and overhaul our tax system and modernize our outdated educational funding formula, then we will be left with a budget like the governor drafted. The governor’s proposal cuts direct services to children and fails to make strategic investments that will ensure our children’s future is brighter than their present.

The collective impact of this budget disinvests in education and moves the American Dream farther out of the reach of children living in poverty, children of color, children learning English as a second language, and children with special needs.

At a time when we should be investing in our children and moving closer to equity, we continue to come up short. Economic development and education go hand in hand. Businesses may relocate for tax incentives, but they stay for a highly educated workforce and a pipeline of talented, skilled and creative future employees.

To leaders during the Revolutionary War who questioned whether the timing was right for such an arduous undertaking, Paine wrote, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace; and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty.”

The time is now. Our district is committed to partnering with our elected officials to tackle tax reform and the pension crisis in a comprehensive way that puts Kentucky education back on track. We know it can be done, because the men and women of our great commonwealth have done it before.

Elected officials, educators, business and community leaders together crafted the Kentucky Education Reform Act in 1990, leading the nation with a bold plan to transform our schools. When he signed that bipartisan effort into law, then-Gov. Wallace Wilkinson remarked, “We have accomplished the impossible.”

Let’s do it again by working together to put the future of Kentucky — our children — first.

http://www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-ed/article195705549.html

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‘Misleading and untrue.’ Superintendent responds to Bevin’s ‘sucking up’ dollars criticism.

The superintendents of Fayette and Jefferson County are taking issue with criticisms that Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin made during his budget address that too many of those districts’ employees who aren’t teaching students are “sucking up” education dollars.

“The narrative the governor attempted to spin about the Fayette County Public Schools in his budget address is factually misleading and untrue. His statements implied that our district is laden with administrative bloat and cash reserves, when the very numbers he used reveal a different story,” Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk said Wednesday.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/education/article195304584.html

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Bevin loves ‘workforce development.’ So why has he declared war on public education?

What is it with Gov. Matt Bevin’s war on public education?

Sure, he talks a good game. In his Jan. 16 budget address, Bevin made a big deal out of saying he had preserved the basic funding formula for Kentucky’s public schools.

What the Republican governor didn’t say, but was evident when people actually read his budget proposal for the next two years, was that he plans to under-fund and undermine public education in dozens of ways, both large and small.

Bevin wants the General Assembly to cut $198 million from K-12 education, mostly by shifting more transportation and insurance costs to local school districts, as if they can afford it. He wants to cut an additional $72 million from higher education. And he wants to eliminate state funding for 70 programs, at least 44 of which support education.

Bevin tried to justify his cuts by criticizing school districts for having too much money in their reserve funds, even though they are following state guidelines.

He also singled out the state’s two largest districts, Jefferson and Fayette counties, claiming they have too many highly paid employees who don’t work with students. This attack was an apparent attempt to justify requiring all school districts to cut administrative costs by 12 percent in 2018-2019 and another 12 percent in 2019-2020.

Fayette County Superintendent Manny Caulk called Bevin’s accusations “misleading and untrue.” Jefferson County’s acting superintendent, Marty Pollio, said 63 percent of the highly paid people Bevin referred to in his district work full-time with students.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/tom-eblen/article195742574.html

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Activists, Educators Respond To Proposed Budget Cuts

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) – After the announcement of possible cuts to 70 different state programs under Governor Bevin’s new budget proposal, advocates from several organizations are fighting back.

Kentucky Together is made up of advocates working with everything from education to medical and mental health organizations. They are on a mission to encourage lawmakers to raise revenue for the many programs affected by Bevin’s proposed budget cuts.

They want to see funding that helps build a healthier and more educated Kentucky.

“To make a better Kentucky we must invest in people, communities and our economy,” Sheila Schuster told LEX 18.

Kentucky Together says not all of Governor Bevin’s new budget proposal is bad. Within it, they believe, are seeds of what Kentucky needs including funding for social workers and the state pension.

Their issue is those things cutting from other essential tools for the commonwealth.

Among the 70 programs at the risk of being cut are many medical and educational programs including support for local libraries, the commission on women, college scholarships and professional development for teachers.

They say their mission over the next 60 days will be to explain to lawmakers why, even in the state’s current financial situation, we cannot afford to cut funding that harms public education.

Fayette County’s spokeswoman has released a statement on behalf of Superintendent Manny Caulk regarding the proposed budget cuts. It can be read in its entirety below:

http://www.lex18.com/story/37295823/activists-educators-respond-to-proposed-budget-cuts

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Lexington middle school math teacher wins Milken Educator Award, only one from KY of 44 nationally

Pop Quiz: When is 1 equal to 1.5 or 2? When Brooke Powers is your math teacher because her students at Lexington’s Beaumont Middle School show 1.5 to 2 years growth in math progress per year. Powers is a motivational mastermind, amping up student interest through math games, using in-class technology like cell phones and tablets, and exploiting pop culture tie-ins such as using Cheetos to demonstrate the algebraic concept of surface area.

But Tuesday morning Powers was the one experiencing exponential growth—in her bank account! That’s because she got the surprise of a lifetime at a school assembly where she was presented with a Milken Educator Award by State Commissioner of Education Stephen L. Pruitt and Milken Family Foundation Senior Program Administrator Greg Gallagher. An elated Powers was named a 2017-18 recipient of the national recognition, which comes with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. She is the only Milken Award winner from Kentucky this year and is among the 44 honorees for 2017-18.

http://www.nkytribune.com/2018/01/lexington-middle-school-math-teacher-wins-milken-educator-award-only-one-from-ky-of-44-nationally/

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Leadership Lexington Class Studies Local Educational System

Leadership Lexington’s 2017-2018 class took part in Education Day on December 14th. The class learned about education from pre-kindergarten through college, and heard from a host of education stakeholders across the city.

The day started in the frigid Locust Trace AgriScience Center, Lexington’s newest career and technical public high school. While the heat may have been out in the school’s large meeting room, Fayette County Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk brought the fire in a presentation about the incredible challenges and opportunities he sees in the district.

FCPS Superintendent Manny Caulk focused on the lack of funding for public education, as well as on state- and district-wide achievement gaps (the gap in outcomes between students typically along lines of income level and race), and ways that FCPS is combatting these problems. The class then spent time at roundtable discussions on kindergarten preparedness, the new FCPS high school academies, special programs in FCPS schools, charter schools, special education, and private schools.

http://www.commercelexington.com/leadership-lexington.html

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Emmanuel Caulk

Recognized for Leadership in Districtwide Improvement