Belcher among two legislators honored by KSBA organization

 FRANKFORT -- Two state lawmakers with an extensive   background in education are the recipients of the 2011 KIDS First  Advocacy   Award from the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA).

Kentucky Legislative Research Commission

Rep. Linda Belcher

Rep. Linda Belcher (D-Shepherdsville) and Sen. Jack Westwood (R-Erlanger)   were honored Feb. 23 in Frankfort during the opening session of KSBA’s  two-day KIDS  First Advocacy Days in Frankfort lobbying conference.

“Sen. Westwood and Rep. Belcher are exactly the kinds of advocates our  

schools and students deserve in Frankfort,” said KSBA President Tom  

Blankenship, a member of the Lincoln County school board. “They came from  the education field, they are devoted to issues revolving around teaching and learning, and they have been active partners with our efforts to advance  student achievement through Kentucky’s elementary and secondary education  system.”

Belcher is a retired educator, having served as a teacher, principal and  district administrator in the Bullitt County system before being elected to  the House of Representatives in 2008. Her nomination by Bullitt County  Schools Superintendent Keith Davis cites her work to raise Kentucky’s  mandatory school attendance age with adequate funding, her co-sponsorship of  

the 2009 school reform legislation, Senate Bill 1; and her leadership in  seeking training for school employees to recognize signs of student suicide  

risk. 

She currently serves as vice chairman of the House Education   Committee.

KSBA annually recognizes the legislative work on behalf of Kentucky schools  by a state representative, a state senator, a school board member and a   superintendent. The local school leaders will be honored in July.