Precincts: 2A, 2B, 3, 4
School and Community: A Partnership for Success
As a concerned parent, Kenney Gulley took advantage of a number of opportunities to be involved in his children’s education. This included baseball and softball activities and led him to serve for four years as a member of the Mt. Sterling Elementary SBDM Council. Eventually, he was elected as a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, where he is currently in his second four year term of service.
In his youth, Mr. Gulley enjoyed his classes in the Fleming County Schools. His interests are diverse as evidenced by his favorite subjects: math, Latin, and agriculture. He recalls the techniques his Latin teacher, Mr. Perkins used to engage students and make learning interesting. However, agriculture continued to keeps his attention, as he received a BS Degree in Agriculture from the University of Kentucky. He majored in animal science and received a minor in agriculture economics. Currently, Kenney manages an agriculture-based business.
Mr. Gulley has interacted with young people throughout his life. In addition to his three children, he is responsible for overseeing five weeks of summer camp at Rolling Hills Bible Camp each year. He has also taught a high school Bible class each Sunday for eighteen years. Additionally, his involvement with various sports programs has enabled him to work with youth.
While his initial compulsion to become involved in educational decision making was to secure a quality education for his own children, Mr. Gulley soon came to know that improvement for all children was imperative. He witnessed children falling through the cracks and was committed to working with the community to ensure that every child is prepared for success.
Upon joining the board of education, he was faced with the daunting realization of how challenging it would be to redirect the focus of such a large entity. He is very proud that we have accomplished the task of becoming a student-centered organization focused on academic performance. Mr. Gulley acknowledges that improvement must continue and stresses that, “We must hold the course and not get distracted from the primary reason public education exist, which is to serve every child so they each have the opportunity to succeed.”
Kenney Gulley and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for twenty-one years and have three children, Ben, Abigail, and Claire. They are active members of the community and strongly support the notion that the community and the school system must be partners in preparing students for success.