Superintendent's Message

I hope this message finds you well and filled with excitement for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. As we embark on this journey together, I wanted to take a moment to share our district's vision statement, which encapsulates our commitment to educational excellence and our dedication to being the pride of our community.

"A district of educational excellence, the pride of our community."

This vision statement serves as a guiding light for everything we do. It reminds us of our collective goal to provide the best possible education to every student within our district. It also emphasizes the importance of building a strong partnership with our community, as we believe that education is a collaborative effort that extends beyond the walls of our schools.

At the heart of our district's vision is the understanding that culture comes first. We firmly believe that when students feel cared for, have trusted adults to turn to, and genuinely feel a sense of belonging within our school community, they thrive academically and emotionally. To ensure this, we have focused on three important questions:

1. Do I feel cared for?
2. Do I have a trusted adult to turn to?
3. Do I feel part of the school?

By prioritizing these questions, we aim to create a nurturing and supportive environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a love for learning.

Speaking of learning, I am thrilled to share the progress we have made in our literacy and mathematics curriculum. Our literacy curriculum is firmly rooted in the science of reading, which has allowed us to achieve remarkable results. In just one year, we have doubled the percentage of students meeting their stretch growth goal. This accomplishment is a testament to our dedicated teachers and staff who have worked tirelessly to implement evidence-based practices that support student success.  In regards to mathematics, we have revised our curriculum to provide more hands-on activities and a clearer focus on what is to be learned.  In short, our district has in place an evidenced-based, high-quality curriculum for literacy and math which, according to over thirty years of research, is shown to have the greatest impact on improving student learning. 

Moreover, our commitment to clarity for learning ensures that every student knows precisely what knowledge and skills they are expected to acquire. We believe in empowering our students with a clear understanding of their learning objectives, enabling them to take ownership of their education. I encourage you to engage in conversations with your child about their daily learnings by asking the simple question, "What did you learn today?" This inquiry not only reinforces the importance of education but also helps reinforce their understanding and retention of the material.

As we look forward to the upcoming academic year, let us remember that our district's vision is not just a statement on paper but a shared commitment to providing the best education possible. Together, we can create an environment where excellence thrives, and every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Thank you for your continued support, trust, and partnership in shaping the future of our district. I am confident that, working together, we will achieve great things.

We Are Henry!  We Are Better Together!

-Dr. Jim Masters 

 

Please free to contact me by phone at 502-845-8600 or by email at jim.masters@henry.kyschools.us. And if you see me at a ballgame or picking up lunch somewhere out in the community, please introduce yourself. I look forward to meeting you and working with you!

 

A little background on Dr. Masters...

Experience:

• Director of K-12 Curriculum and Instruction for Franklin County, 2012-2021
• Principal of Henry County High School, 2008-2012
• Highly Skilled Educator, Kentucky Department of Education
• Assistant Principal, Georgetown Middle School
• Social Studies Teacher and Basketball Coach at Second Street Middle School, Danville High School, Tates Creek High School and Western Hills High School

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in History and Philosophy from the University of Kentucky
• Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kentucky State University,
• Master’s degree in Education Instructional Leadership from Eastern Kentucky University
• Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Morehead State University

Results while serving as Principal at HCHS:

• Improved every single testing area for the first time since KDE started testing statewide going from the bottom 12 schools to 138 out of 236. School went from needs assistance to proficient. 
• Math from 2002-2009 was 24.9% and in two years went to 34.8% average and the following year surpassed the state average.  
• Reading from 2002-2009 was 37.6% and in two years went to 61% of students reaching proficiency.  
• All other tested areas also improved by 10% or more.
• 94% approval reflected in TELL survey in which 100% of staff responded.
• Changed curriculum/course offerings to better match student needs
• Tracking seniors making benchmark on EPAS from their freshmen year –they improved in each content area:  English Explore (51%) to ACT (59%); Math Explore (25%) to ACT(43%); Reading Explore (27%) to ACT (52%).
• A full composite score point growth on the ACT going from 17.4 to 18.7 the highest composite score the school had ever achieved.  Went above the state in English and reading for the first time and came within .1 of science.  Improved in every testing category and beat the growth average of the state.  Also improved with proficiency. percentage going from 46% to 51% in English, from 23% to 36% in Reading, from 13% to 15% in Science, and improved the percentage of students meeting all benchmarks by surpassing the state average.
• Discipline referrals dropped by over 50%.