Throughout the 18 years serving our district, Ms. Carpenter has had a profound impact on our community. She started her career in Gananda as High School principal, where she took on the task of improving our graduation rate, taking it from 78%-95% in just three years. Her examination of grading practices, district policies, recognition programs, and individual student needs helped remove barriers that kept students from their success. Her desire to provide meaningful experiences for students led to the implementation of innovative project-based programs like the Young Entrepreneurs Association and Project Lead The Way Biomedical programs.
As Chief Academic Officer, Kelly has transformed instructional practices to a student-centered model and updated the curriculum to meet evolving standards. She spearheaded the district's transition to a P-12 personalized learning environment, coordinated teacher training and development, and integrated coaching cycles into professional growth. This initiative has fostered a culture of continuous improvement among the teaching staff.
Over the past five years, Kelly has championed equity initiatives, providing essential training to the Board of Education, instructional staff, and regional colleagues. She was instrumental in creating the district's DEI committee—which includes staff, students, and parents—which developed four district commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their work on our new code of conduct was written through a lens of equity, ensuring that all policies and practices promote fairness and inclusivity.
In addition to her roles within the district, Kelly has served as Co-President of the Genesee Valley Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, facilitated the GVASCD Innovate Upstate Conference, Sat on the Wayne-Finger Lakes Personalized Learning Conference planning committee, and has been an Integral contributor to the W-FL DEI Resource Repository. Her contributions to education extend far beyond our district, impacting educators and students across the region.
Congratulations, Kelly, on this amazing award!