Hi there! I’m Whitney Ward. I’m in my 21st year of education, and I’m currently the Assistant Principal at Fairview Middle/High School. Big change from the 13 years of elementary experience I had before this role (majority in Kindergarten). We are a small community (Westwood) school encompassing about a two-mile radius from the central office. At the MS/HS, we serve 7th-12th grade students. We’re located in Ashland, Kentucky, and are one of two independent school systems in Boyd County.
Being involved with KEDC has truly been a wonderful experience for me. I’ve had the chance to work with two different grants: the first was Achieve, and then I transitioned to EPIC. Thanks to these grants, we have access to a ton of resources that we’re able to share across different departments. We use them in our PLCs, lesson planning, and stations, and they’re not just for social studies; they’re helpful in math, science, and language arts, too. This grant has helped connect me with resources and presenters that facilitate learning for all our staff. Two of our teachers are also involved with the grants, which is fantastic.
One of the biggest wins from this grant has been utilizing the Kentucky Writing Project with staff. We’ve completely overhauled how we teach writing, and we even brought in two writing coaches that KEDC really helped facilitate. Because of this, our state test scores have risen, and we’re feeling optimistic about continued improvements in the future.
Another key resource our social studies teachers use is Active Classroom. It’s our main curriculum for grades 7-12, with other resources used to supplement it. It has become the foundation of how we’re teaching right now.
My favorite part of this grant is being able to continue being a lifelong learner and participating in the immersion trips. To say that I truly underestimated the impact of these trips on not only my professional life but my personal life as well is an understatement. I have met some of the best people and have networked with numerous educators over the years. Thanks to the immersion trips, summer institute, presentations, and other opportunities provided through the grants, I’ve gained some truly valuable resources. Our teachers use them all the time, and I can’t think of a faculty meeting or PLC that goes by without referencing one of these tools.
I’m really excited for the rest of this year and hopefully many more to continue working with these grants. I’ve grown in this profession and lead my school more effectively thanks to my involvement in Achieve and EPIC!
Whitney Ward, Principal
Fairview High School
Fairview Independent Schools
