Image of PPS Music Educators

by David Snow

The Paducah Sun

May 19, 2022

Used with Permission

The Paducah Independent School District Board on Monday approved its budget document for the 2022-23 school year, which includes a 2% across-the-board raise for employees.

The $36.84 million budget was approved unanimously by the board.

The district was honored for the fifth consecutive year with the Best Communities for Music Education designation, a national honor provided by The NAMM Foundation for outstanding commitment to music education.

Founded in 2006, The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the Paducah school district answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

Paducah was one of six Kentucky school districts to earn the award, along with the Bowling Green Independent, Boyd County, Jessamine County, Owensboro Independent and Russellville Independent school districts.

Several of the Paducah school system’s music educators were on hand at Monday’s school board meeting.

“The Best Communities for Music Education program recognized 738 school districts and 80 individual schools across the United States this year,” said Kimberly Davidson, the music instructor at Morgan Elementary School. “We first learned of this award in 2018 and applied for it. We won that year and have won every year since.”

Music educators in the Paducah school system include Davidson; James Gregory, the band instructor for Paducah Tilghman High School; Matthew Hinz, the choir instructor for Paducah Tilghman High School; Dale Julian of Clark Elementary School; Natalie Krupansky of McNabb Elementary School; Christopher Loe, the band and orchestra instructor for Paducah Middle School and Paducah Tilghman High School; Douglas Van Fleet, the band and orchestra instructor for Paducah Middle School and Paducah Tilghman High School; Samantha Veal, the choir instructor for Paducah Middle School; and Lindsey Williams, the band and orchestra instructor for Paducah Middle School.

“This group has acquired a total of 200 years of music education experience,” Davidson told the board.

Van Fleet said he was completing his 59th year of music instruction.

The board also issued its annual Whitlow Commitment to Excellence Awards, given to Jackie Patterson and Kay Rouse.

Patterson is a school psychologist and has served as a special education teacher.

“Aside from her job duties, Jackie is one of the kindest souls I’ve met,” said Superintendent Donald Shively. “Without a doubt, Jackie is here to do what is best for the children of this district.

“She advocates for kids and truly wants to see them be successful.”

Patterson is retiring at the end of the school year.

Rouse works with the district’s personnel department, having served previously as a receptionist.

“She works longer hours than most everyone and she is vital to the hiring process,” Shively said. “Last summer, we hired more new employees than ever, and Kay made sure all the paperwork was done correctly and on time. She is a great resource for our new staff.”

The Whitlow Commitment to Excellence Award was created in 2016 and was named for Mark Whitlow, who retired that year as the board attorney and served as the Paducah Public Schools Foundation president and volunteered for more than 20 years with the Paducah Tilghman High School mock trials team. Whitlow is in the PTHS Hall of Fame. The award honors those who demonstrate similar dedication and service to Paducah schools.

The student board members — PTHS juniors Dasia Garland and Synia Shaw Laster — were each presented with the Dr. Felix Akojie Student Board Member Scholarship worth $500 to be given at their senior award night in 2023. The two were the first to serve on the school board as student representatives elected by the student body. Akojie is a board member and has served on the Paducah school board since 2003.

Next year’s student board members were also introduced. They are CoryOn Brooks and Jayda Reed, both of whom will be sophomores at PTHS.

Follow David B. Snow on Twitter, @SunWithSnow, or on Facebook at facebook.com/sunwithsnow.