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New Paducah Public School Superintendent Wants to "Close the Gap"

Lance Dennee

The Paducah School Board voted unanimously to hire Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Programs Donald Shively to be the district's next superintendent during a special meeting Monday.

Shively is a third generation educator and received the position ahead of 27 other applicants.  He says he wants to continue the school system’s model of excellence.

“We have to find unique solutions for students to meet their needs to make sure they can learn and be successful in life and be productive members of society,” said Shively.  “So, we’ll continue what’s in place as far as goals for individual students, and try and take away all barriers that could get in the way.”

Shively believes that Paducah Independent Schools needs to close the gap in meeting students’ needs in a widely diverse district.

“Our vision is to stretch the top and at the same time to close the gap,” said Shively. “And when you look at the gap as it is defined in Kentucky, with the ethnicity of race or if it’s on social economics or if it’s about a disability, and you look at that in our district that’s a large number of students.”

“We want to definitely help our kids, those who are in poverty to break that cycle, at the same time stretching that top, ” he added.

Credit Lance Dennee
Donald Shively's Family applauding the news of his confirmation as Paducah Public Schools' Superintendent

Shively is a graduate of Adair High School and of Center College. Shively began his career teaching at Paducah-Tilghman and later named assistant Principal.  In 2004, he became assistant principal and AD at Ballard Memorial. He assumes his new position July 1st. He is currently working on his doctorate at Murray State. Dr. Randy Greene will retire after 10 years as superintendent.

The Paducah Public School district is home to nearly 3,000 students at Clark, McNabb, and Morgan Elementary schools; Paducah Middle School; Paducah Tilghman High School; CHOICES Education Center; and Paducah Head Start Preschool.

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