West Kentucky Educational Cooperative

Make a lasting impact on special education leadership across western Kentucky! WKEC is hiring a Special Education New DoSE Mentor to support and guide new Directors of Special Education. Help strengthen services for students with disabilities. https://www.wkec.org/page/careers

Join the WKEC team! We’re hiring a Math Professional Learning Coach to support educators and improve outcomes for students with disabilities across western Kentucky through coaching, training, and technical assistance. Apply today at wkec.org/careers.

Join the WKEC team! We're hiring a Special Education Strategies Professional Learning Coach to provide training, consultation, and support that helps educators improve outcomes for students with disabilities across western Kentucky. Apply today: https://www.wkec.org/page/careers

Interested in a Numeracy Counts Rank Change? WKEC scholarships are available for participants who register by June 30! Join an info session on June 2 at 10 AM or June 8 at 1 PM to learn more, ask questions, and explore this opportunity. https://bit.ly/4uKEzFe

Yesterday’s WKEC luncheon was a meaningful celebration honoring our retirees and their years of service to students and schools across the region.

We recognized David Daniel, SERTAC Team, and Denise Traughber, GEARUP Team, for their dedication and lasting impact through WKEC. We appreciate their service and wish them the best in retirement.

The WKEC PBIS/ISF team wrapped up their Regional Recognition Road Trip this week by celebrating schools in Paducah and additional Marshall County schools for their commitment to strengthening social-emotional-behavioral supports. Every school recognized earned multiple implementation badges through their hard work and dedication.

Paducah Tilghman High School and McNabb Elementary School were recognized as Bronze Level recipients. Morgan Elementary School earned Silver Level of Implementation, and was named a Model Demonstration Site and Interconnected Exemplar. A special congratulations goes to Central Elementary School for earning Gold Level of Implementation and being recognized as a Model Demonstration Site.

These schools, along with those previously recognized, continue to invest time, effort, and intentionality into building strong systems, positive school climates, and supportive environments for both students and staff. We are incredibly proud of the work accomplished this year and look forward to continuing this partnership and growth in 2026–2027!

Today’s WKEC May Board Meeting was a special opportunity to recognize outstanding leadership and service across our region.

We extend our appreciation to Board Chairman Matt Madding for his dedicated service and leadership. Congratulations to Bob Lawson, who was selected by his fellow superintendents as the 2026 WKEC Superintendent of the Year. We also honored retiree Russ Tilford for his years of commitment and impact in education.

Thank you to each of these leaders for the difference they have made for students, schools, and communities across western Kentucky.

The Recognition Road Trip for social-emotional-behavioral supports continued this week across schools in Hickman County, Fulton County, Marshall County, McCracken County, and Mayfield Independent! We celebrated 15 more schools for their intentional work in building systems that support the whole child and create positive, safe learning environments for students and staff.

Congratulations to Hickman Elementary, South Marshall Elementary, and Sharpe Elementary for earning Bronze Level Recognition; Reidland Middle for earning Silver Level Recognition; and Lone Oak Intermediate for earning Gold Level Recognition.
A special shoutout to Lone Oak Intermediate, Reidland Middle, and Sharpe Elementary for also being selected as Model Demonstration Schools—serving as examples of excellence for schools across the region.

We are incredibly proud of the hard work schools have put in throughout the year and are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate their success! We have one more district to celebrate next week!

We are thrilled to support this professional learning opportunity for health and physical educators across the region. Be sure to register today!

🚨PSA, health and physical educators ➡️ Don’t forget to register for this FREE Professional Learning opportunity!!

Join us July 14–15 for Mike Mattos and Designing Supports That Stick: A High-Impact MTSS Experience with WKEC! Designed for teams, this powerful PD is filling fast. Secure your spot before summer begins—register today and bring your team! Register Here 🔗 https://bit.ly/4wrND33