The Webster County Schools Leadership Alliance concluded on Thursday, March 19th, with a focus on student support services, including special education, English learners, and chronic absenteeism.
• Kim Saalwaechter, Special Education Director, shared about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the support Webster County Schools provides, including four speech therapists, three school psychologists, one occupational therapist, and one physical therapist on staff, and special education staff, including teachers and instructional assistants.
• Assistant Superintendent Dawn Forker shared about the district’s English Learner Program at Sebree Elementary, WCMS, and WCHS. There are 14 different languages spoken in our schools, and students are supported by a variety of staff members, in-school and after-school, and summer camp opportunities.
• Greg Bowles, Assistant Superintendent, discussed school attendance and the efforts by both the state and the district to support families. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate has improved, dropping from 30.70% in 2022-23 to 24.70% in 2024-25.
The KY Department of Education identifies three main focus areas for districts to address chronic absenteeism:
‣Increasing School Connectedness for Students
‣Meaningful Family and Community Engagement
‣Improving the Quality of School Life
Using funding from the Stronger Connections grant, the district has worked to address the three areas by implementing family engagement strategies, including the Second Chance Bus, funding for college and career-readiness field trips, and parent & student engagement resources, such as student back-to-school mailings, attendance banners, calendar magnets, and ParentSquare communication software.
Principals from the Webster County Middle and High Schools and the Webster County Area Technology Center emphasized the importance of their pathway courses in improving the quality of students' school life, as these courses connect to locally meaningful outcomes and career opportunities.
This first Leadership Alliance cohort consisted of 25 members, including community and business leaders and parents, who met three times per year to learn more about Webster County Schools.
