Recalling his own public school education, Barren County School District’s Scott Harper said many mentors would inspire him to work hard when things got difficult and “strive for the next level.”

“I think that’s really the driving force behind all that we do: whether I’m directly working with students, or whether I’m working with the staff, being that motivational piece to help folks work through what’s difficult to see that glimmer of success, so that they’re able to reach that,” he said.

Previously the district’s director of instruction and technology, Harper will become the county’s assistant superintendent of instruction, a role created after district leaders discussed the school system’s structural organization in July, Harper said. The role is an expansion of his previous position, where he coordinated with district departments involved in instruction to provide instructional support and programming in middle and high school.

Now, he’ll also work with those who run elementary instruction, the preschool programs, gifted and talented services, programs for assessment, and career and technical education.

Additionally, Harper will work in human resources to hire teachers and the certified staff who work with classrooms, he said.

Harper said “the big emphasis” is being a support to instructors, particularly new ones.

He noted that the district has relaunched its induction and mentoring program, now called the “Barren County Experience.” It provides varying supports to instructors, depending on their newness and place in the school district, from first-years, to second years, to teachers relocating from another district, to those considering leadership and administration.

“That’s one of the things we really want to strengthen as we move forward – that recruitment retention piece,” he said. “Everyone’s looking for the best out there, and we want to be able to be competitive with that and to support them when they’re in the role.”

Harper said that concerning staff, his new role will be especially focused on streamlining communications and the coordination of services.

“I think you’ll see groups working together, coordinating services, so that you see that seamless connection between preschools and kindergarten through the elementary years and on to the middle school and high school,” he said.

Students, families and other district communities will be able to see in the classroom “a real strategic initiative that our board and our superintendent has of providing high-quality instructional support and programming here in Barren County,” Harper said.

Harper noted that part of Barron County Board’s mission is to be “where opportunity creates success.”

“(The Barron County Board) really wants to focus in on: What does the opportunity look like … now? And what do we plan for and prepare for for the future? That’s really our goal,” he said. “It’s just to be ready for what the workforce and the world economy really is demanding for new jobs so that our students are prepared for whatever that looks like.”