Fayette Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk received accomplished or exemplary ratings across the board on his annual evaluation Monday, with school board members citing specific achievements in the areas of outreach, leadership development, focus on student needs and organizational effectiveness.
“The work of Superintendent Caulk has been remarkable in all areas, especially considering the personal health challenges he experienced after shortly joining the Fayette County Public Schools,” board members wrote in the evaluation, referencing Caulk’s diagnosis with cancer less than eight weeks into his tenure, which required an 18-hour surgery and three months of follow-up treatment.
“We are thrilled with the work you’ve done and you have done it in a shorter amount of time with more fervor since you came back,” said Fayette County Board of Education Chair Melissa Bacon, asking Caulk to share an update on his progress.
“Just as it takes the entire community to success of our schools, I want to thank the entire community for your thoughts and your prayers as I battled cancer,” Caulk said. “My health is great, but just as you prayed for me, I ask that you continue pray for other who are battling this disease, especially our young people who are stricken with cancer.”
Bacon continued, “We are thrilled you are here, thrilled you are healthy, and ready to take our district to the next level with you.”
Caulk’s evaluation was based on the recommended standards as set forth by the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. The seven areas of evaluation include: Strategic Leadership, Instructional Leadership, Cultural Leadership, Human Resource Leadership, Managerial Leadership, Collaborative Leadership and Influential Leadership.
Possible ratings in each area were: Exemplary: exceeds the standard, Accomplished: meets the standard, Developing: makes growth toward meeting the standard, or Growth Required: area(s) required to be addressed in the professional growth plan. Board members rated Caulk exemplary, accomplished or “accomplished leading to exemplary” in each of the seven areas.
Fayette County Board of Education Vice Chair Amanda Ferguson pointed out that the board rated Caulk higher than he rated himself and highlighted the areas of strategic leadership, collaborative leadership and influential leadership as specific strengths for the superintendent.
Ferguson cited a long list of partnerships Caulk has facilitated and cultivated, mentioning work with the University of Kentucky, Transylvania University, Lexington Fayette Urban County Council, Commerce Lexington, Urban League, and the United Way.
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