KSBA eNews Service, Frankfort, Aug. 7, 2014
Marcum begins new term as chair of Kentucky Board of Education; full membership in place again
Staff report
The Kentucky Board of Education is officially back at full strength with not-so-new leadership in place as well. Both matters were handled during the state board’s two-day strategic planning retreat Wednesday and regular meeting that is underway today in Frankfort.
The state board unanimously re-elected Roger Marcum of Bardstown to a second one-year term as chairman Thursday morning. The KBE also selected Jonathan Parrent of Madisonville as its vice chairman. Parrent had been serving the unexpired term as the KBE’s No. 2 member following the resignation this spring of former state board member Brigitte Ramsey, who stepped down to take a post with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence.
Marcum, a former Marion County Schools superintendent who spent more than 30 years in public education, is now executive vice president of St. Catharine College in Springfield. Parrent is the chief student affairs officer at Madisonville Community College and has worked in higher education for more than 15 years.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be selected to serve,” Marcum said. “I have great respect for each of you. And I want to thank Gov. Beshear. It’s nice to have a full board again.”
In addition to reappointing Marcum, Parrent and several other KBE members to new four-year terms last month, Gov. Steve Beshear also filled two state board seats that have been vacant since this spring.
On Wednesday, new KBE members Sam Hinkle of Shelbyville and Debbie Cook of Corbin were sworn into office. Hinkle is a former Shelby County school board member, while Cook was a long-time member of the Corbin Independent Board of Education.
The KBE meeting is being webcast live via the Kentucky Department of Education’s website, and normally is archived and available for viewing within a few days of the meeting.