KASS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Recognizing the Retired Superintendents Who Never Really Left
Nominations close August 15 at 11:59 p.m.
ABOUT THE AWARD
Some superintendents retire from the office but not from the work. They keep showing up: mentoring the next generation, supporting colleagues through difficult seasons, contributing to leadership development, and advocating for Kentucky's public schools long after their formal tenure ends.
The KASS Distinguished Service Award exists to recognize those individuals.
Established by the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, this award honors retired Kentucky public school superintendents whose service to the profession has remained visible and consequential. It is not an award for a strong career. It is an award for what a leader continues to give after that career officially ends.
Recipients are recognized at the KASS Fall Summit and honored at a formal ceremony during the KASS Annual Conference in December.
WHo IS ELIGIBLE
Before submitting a nomination, review the eligibility requirements carefully.
The nominee must:
- Be a retired Kentucky public school superintendent who left service in good professional standing
- Have served a minimum of five years as a superintendent in the same Kentucky public school district
- Have been retired for a minimum of five years prior to nomination
- Have demonstrated significant post-retirement service to Kentucky superintendents through mentoring, coaching, advocacy, KASS leadership, superintendent preparation, or comparable support roles
- Show clear statewide, regional, or multi-district impact on the profession
Posthumous nominations are accepted and subject to the same criteria.
The nomination must be submitted by a current KASS member. Retired superintendents who hold registered member status are also eligible to nominate.
What Your Nomination Needs to Include
A strong nomination is specific about what the nominee has done and for whom.
Your submission must include:
A substantive narrative describing the nominee's record of post-retirement contributions
A clear explanation of why this individual merits recognition
The names of at least two additional current KASS members who support the nomination (no additional documentation from those members is required)
Nominations are submitted electronically using the official nomination form linked below.
One practical note: KASS does not archive nominations for future consideration. If a nominee is not selected, the nominator must resubmit through the same process the following year. Keep your documentation.
