August 22, 2025
Carroll County Schools: Building Pathways to High-Demand Careers
At the confluence of the Ohio and Kentucky Rivers, Carroll County is a close-knit community where schools serve as the center of life. With only 10,000 residents, nearly every family has a connection to the district. Strong partnerships with local industries allow Carroll County Schools to prepare students for futures both within the community and beyond.
Superintendent Casey Jaynes emphasizes that the district’s role extends beyond academics. It is about ensuring students are prepared for the workforce opportunities that await them. Thanks to supplemental state funding for career and technical education (CTE), Carroll County High School launched a new Heavy Equipment Operator Pathway in the 2024–2025 school year. Known as CATALYST (Carroll Area Transportation and Logistics Youth Simulation Training), the program introduces students to heavy machinery operation through state-of-the-art simulators.
The initiative is already opening doors. Students practice on the same equipment used by major employers such as Nucor, Luhn & Oak, and Kemper Construction, giving them a competitive advantage in high-demand fields. Many participants are also working toward a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), a credential that expands career options after graduation.
Industry partners share the enthusiasm. Shawn Keeton of Luhn & Oak Construction said, “For the school to embrace the needed training and worker shortage is a dream come true and something that I have thought about and worked toward for years.” This collaboration highlights Carroll County’s commitment to collective progress.
For students like Dylan Service and Nahomy Lopez Perez, the program is already transformative. Dylan explained that he has gained skills ranging from safety procedures to actual equipment operation, which he believes will help him secure a job after high school. Nahomy, one of the program’s pioneering female participants, noted that the work requires focus and persistence, but with practice, success is possible.
This initiative reflects KASS’s priorities: building a strong workforce pipeline, advocating for funding that delivers opportunities, and ensuring accountability that supports the United We Learn vision. Carroll County Schools is showing how community, education, and industry can come together to create opportunity.
As Superintendent Jaynes put it, “Our community is changing, and we have to provide our employers with a technically skilled workforce.” Carroll County is ready to lead students toward that future.
For more on this initiative, visit carroll.kyschools.us
For more on this initiative, visit carroll.kyschools.us
December 6-8 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown Organizations that support Kentucky public school districts can now register to exhibit, sponsor, or join as a Preferred Partner at the 2026 KASS Annual Conference, December 6-8 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. The Annual Conference is the largest KASS gathering of the year, bringing Kentucky's school superintendents together for professional learning, peer connection, and conversation about the work ahead for their districts. For superintendents, the partners in the room are part of that work. For organizations, it is a direct and personal way to understand what district leaders need. What This Conference Means for Districts and Partners Kentucky's superintendents are the chief decision-makers for districts across the Commonwealth. They are accountable for governance, operations, and long-term student outcomes, and they come to KASS events to learn alongside peers and find partners who can help them do the job well. Because KASS is the state organization dedicated solely to superintendents, partners at the Annual Conference are in the room with the leaders who set direction and shape priorities for their districts. This year's conference theme is The Power of Possibility: Empowering Learners. Igniting Innovation. Transforming Education. Conference at a Glance
The KASS Fall Superintendents Summit brings Kentucky district leaders together September 8–9 in Lexington for focused conversation and peer connection. Limited sponsorship opportunities available for organizations committed to Kentucky public education.
Join Kentucky superintendents at the KASS Summer Summit in Lexington. Limited sponsorship opportunities available for meaningful, relationship-driven engagement.
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