Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday spent a full day Wednesday at the Murray Independent School District acting as an unpaid employee of the district.
 
MISD was the winner of the “Extra Holliday” silent auction item offered at the Kentucky School Public Relations Association (KYSPRA) Fall Institute held last September.
 
The commissioner had a full agenda set by school district administrators. He helped unload morning school buses, appeared on the school news program, sang songs with children, ate lunch with students and met with the district leadership team. Holliday, a former band director, said one of the highlights of his day was directing Murray High School’s band. He wrapped up his visit by attending a special-called meeting of the Murray Independent Board of Education. One of the commissioner’s goals is to visit every school district in the commonwealth. Of the more than 300 schools he has been to so far, Holliday said MISD has had the most consistent level of student engagement.
 
“Other schools I’ve visited, they’re still using ‘sit and get’ teacher lecture. I didn’t see any lecture today anywhere I went. Even at the high school level where you typically might expect that, I saw heavy engagement. I saw kids taking responsibility for their learning,” stated Holliday.
 
MISD Superintendent Bob Rogers said the district intentionally did not show off for Holliday.
 
“I wanted him to see a typical day, and see what the teachers and the student go through each day,” said Rogers. “Sometimes I’m sure I can sit in my office and get disconnected with what’s going on in the schools, and I can imagine how he might do that sitting in his office in Frankfort. So I thought it was just neat that he could come and spend the day.”
 
Visits to local school districts help Holliday get concrete examples of education experiences and school needs to take back to Frankfort, he said.
 
“And another thing I’ve been digging into is this huge shift from what we were expecting of kids to now more rigorous expectations of kids. What are the gaps ... at the grade level, and how are teachers overcoming those gaps? So visits help me change my perspective on budgets and what we can do as curriculum people to close gaps,” Holliday said.  
 
The 2011-2012 school year is the first for new education standards put in place by Kentucky’s Senate Bill 1, which passed in 2009. It has been a tough year for teachers and administrators as they struggle to meet the goals with limited resources, said Holliday.
 
However, he added that with any transition the first year is the hardest. He said adults should remember that the children are the ones who will reap the benefits of the hard work teachers put in.
 
“The adults don’t drive what the kids need, the kids drive what the kids need. And their future’s driving this (education reform),” said Holliday.
 
The district bid a little over $150 to get the special visit from Holliday. Rogers said it was money well spent to have the commissioner come see what MISD is all about.
 
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