Southgate adopts Read Ready initiative, marking all six river cities’ commitment to early learning

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The City of Southgate has officially joined the regional Read Ready initiative, unanimously adopting a resolution at its City Council meeting tonight to launch Read Ready Southgate. With this action, all six Northern Kentucky River Cities – Covington, Newport, Dayton, Ludlow, Bellevue, and now Southgate – have committed to the Read Ready initiative, achieving a major milestone for early childhood education in the region.

The Read Ready movement, supported by EducateNKY, focuses on improving kindergarten readiness by connecting families with resources and building strong community partnerships from birth through age five. The initiative has expanded city by city, creating a network of communities aligned around the goal of preparing every child for success in school and life.

“We should be so proud of NKY right now,” said Cheye Calvo, President & CEO of EducateNKY. “To have all six River Cities step forward and make early learning a civic priority shows the deep commitment our region has to its children and families. This milestone proves that when communities work together, big things are possible.”

Read more at NKY Tribune here.

River Cities Focusing On Kindergarten Readiness

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Kindergarten readiness is an often-debated education issue in Kentucky. Only 48% of children were considered ready for kindergarten in 2023. But whose responsibility is it to ensure children are prepared for school? As Emily Sisk reports, the river cities in Northern Kentucky say they’re taking up the charge.

Watch here. 

Ludlow joins three other cities in Read Ready Initiative

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Ludlow has officially joined three other nearby cities – Covington, Newport and Dayton – in an educational initiative called the Read Ready Initiative.

The Ludlow City Council voted to join the initiative at its meeting on Thursday evening.

“Ludlow’s commitment to its youngest residents shows exactly what it takes to make lasting change,” said Jenny Watson, vice president of early learning and family power at EducateNKY, a consulting group that helping to expand the program. “Ludlow is not just investing in early learning, it’s investing in the future of the entire community.”

Read more from LinkNKY here. 

Read Ready early learning initiative expands to Dayton, joining Covington, Newport

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The Dayton City Council approved an order/resolution at its meeting last night, voting 5-0. The action means that Read Ready Dayton will officially commit this week to join Covington and Newport in a growing regional network of cities dedicated to boosting kindergarten readiness and supporting families with children ranging from prenatal through age five.

“Dayton’s commitment to our youngest learners is truly inspiring,” said Dr. Jenny Watson, Vice President of Early Learning and Family Power at EducateNKY. “By joining the Read Ready Network, Dayton is taking a bold step to ensure every child has the tools, support, and opportunities they need to thrive, long before they ever set foot in a kindergarten classroom.”

Read more from the NKY Tribune.

Newport launches ‘Read Ready’ effort to boost kindergarten readiness

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The city of Newport is taking steps to help improve kindergarten readiness.

The Newport City Commission adopted a resolution for a new initiative called Read Ready Newport, aimed at making learning resources more accessible and meeting families where they are.

“We have tried many times over the years to recognize that those kiddos are my kiddos,” Newport Commissioner Ken Rechtin said. “They don’t belong to the school-it takes a village, and we all got to step up. This action tonight has real implications that we’re going to make improvements in our children. No more are we going to accept 20% being ready for kindergarten. That’s not acceptable.”

Read more from LinkNKY. 

EducateNKY names Dr. Jenny Watson as Vice President of Early Learning & Family Power

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EducateNKY recently announced the appointment of Dr. Jenny Watson as Vice President of Early Learning and Family Power. A seasoned education leader and system-level leader, Watson brings more than two decades of experience in instructional leadership, school administration and cross-sector collaboration to the regional nonprofit’s growing team.

“Jenny is a proven educator with a track record of driving results at scale,” said Cheye Calvo, president and CEO of EducateNKY. “As a former principal and a leader across 27 elementary schools in Boone County, she’s already made a regional impact. She understands the power of early brain development and the importance of activating parents early to set children up for lifelong success. Her success improving third grade literacy is exactly the kind of leadership we need to elevate kindergarten readiness in the River Cities and across Northern Kentucky.”

Watson began her career in education after earning her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Xavier University. She taught first grade in Ohio before transitioning to the Boone County School District, where she served in several roles over the span of more than 20 years; including classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, and eventually assistant superintendent of learning support services.
She holds master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and instructional leadership, and earned her doctorate in educational leadership in 2021. Throughout her career, Watson has built a reputation for cultivating high-impact teams, building effective systems, and mentoring the next generation of education leaders.

In addition to her work in Northern Kentucky schools, Watson is an active member of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA), where she serves as Chair of the Coalition to Sustain the Profession and sits on the Program Creation and Support and Design Team. She is also a member of Kentucky Women in Educational Leadership (KWEL) and is a frequent keynote speaker on women’s leadership and educational equity. In 2023, she published Badass Women as Educational Leaders, available on Amazon.

In her new role, Watson will be responsible for convening cross-sector partners with a focus on supporting families and young learners while elevating kindergarten readiness across the River Cities.

“I am honored to join EducateNKY in this new capacity and continue serving the children and families of Northern Kentucky,” said Watson. “Strong early learning systems and family support networks are essential to long-term student success. I look forward to collaborating with our partners and stakeholders to build a brighter future for every child in our region.”

Watson lives in Hebron with her husband of 26 years, Chad. They have two children and enjoy time together as a family at Lake Cumberland and on the pickleball court.

Start Strong Summit Catalyzes Regional Movement for Early Learning and Family Partnership in NKY

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Covington, KY — Last week, more than 100 education, civic, and nonprofit leaders from across Northern Kentucky gathered for the Start Strong Summit, hosted by EducateNKY at the Life Learning Center in Covington. The convening marked a powerful shift from understanding to action—focused on improving early learning, strengthening family engagement, and building community-wide ownership for student success across the River Cities.

The event opened with remarks from Greg Fischer, Chair of the EducateNKY Board of Directors, who reflected on the organization’s founding in 2023 and its mission to “listen, learn, and lead with purpose.” Fischer emphasized the urgent need for earlier, deeper partnerships with families: “Only one in two children in our region enters kindergarten ready—and in the River Cities, that number drops to one in three. We must meet families earlier, engage them fully, and equip them to champion their children’s learning from the start.”

Cheye Calvo, CEO of EducateNKY, outlined the strategic vision for the Start Strong initiative: a four-part framework centered on family-centered messaging, place-based coordination, comprehensive supports, and shared data and accountability. These pillars shaped the day’s conversations and shared learning.

Summit highlights included:

  • A regional strategy panel featuring Shannon Starkey-Taylor (Learning Grove), Melissa Sommer (Brighton Center), and Sandra Woodall (EC LEARN), who emphasized the need for a coordinated, family-centered approach to early childhood development and care.
  • A spotlight on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, presented by Chantelle Phillips (Campbell County Public Library), which showcased the program’s role in fostering literacy, connection, and early brain development by mailing high-quality books to children every month.
  • A place-based leadership panel moderated by Tom Haggard, Vice President of EducateNKY, featuring Covington Mayor Ron Washington, Mary Kay Connolly (Read Ready Covington), and Chairwoman Ramona Malone (Newport Board of Education). Panelists shared how their communities are building locally rooted early learning ecosystems.
  • A virtual presentation by Brooke Gill of the Prichard Committee highlighted lessons from Kentucky’s Community Schools Initiative—emphasizing the critical role of school culture and family partnership in student success.
  • A Partnership in Practice panel featuring Kathy Burkhardt (Learning Grove), Marshelle Watkins-Blackwell (Newport Independent Schools), and Tracy Gentrup-Ruebusch (Dayton Independent Schools) brought voices from the field to center stage. Panelists offered powerful, practical examples of how authentic family engagement—rooted in empathy, flexibility, and trust—can transform school culture and student outcomes.

The Summit also launched the 2025–2026 Family, Youth, and Community Partnership Grant, designed to support schools in co-developing strategies with families and youth to address concrete challenges and strengthen engagement at the local level.

“This wasn’t just a summit—it was a call to shared responsibility,” said Calvo. “Improving school readiness isn’t something schools can do alone. It will take families, cities, nonprofits, and neighbors all stepping in—together.”

Support Education in NKY

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We all have a role to play in creating a Northern Kentucky education system that ignites every eager, vibrant mind. Be part of the solution.

Engage. Volunteer. Support. Lead.

Here are a few ways YOU can help create systemic excellence in education:

Engage

  • Sign up for the EducateNKY monthly newsletter

Volunteer

Support

  • Donate funds and/or supplies directly to schools in need. You can give directly to Crayons to Computers, which serves all River City school districts in NKY.
  • Sponsor events throughout the school year through a school’s Family Resource or Youth Services Center. Email [email protected] to get connected to a school near you.

Lead

The team at EducateNKY stands ready to help you find the perfect fit for getting involved in our schools. Feel free to call or email at any time.

EducateNKY gets $500K donation to boost Northern Kentucky education

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Northern Kentucky education nonprofit EducateNKY received a $500,000 donation to support its mission of building an education ecosystem that ignites every eager, vibrant mind in Northern Kentucky. The donation was given by United Way of Greater Cincinnati. United Way Investments President/CEO Moira Weir emphasized their commitment to partnerships aimed at improving youth success and workforce readiness. EducateNKY was one of six organizations selected for the $2.3 million total investment to support positive youth and educational outcomes and address critical challenges outside the classroom that hinder student and family stability and success.

Read more from LINK NKY: https://linknky.com/news/2024/10/24/educatenky-receives-500k-donation/

EducateNKY Launches Bold Strategic Plan

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On October 23 at the OneNKY Summit, EducateNKY launched a bold strategic plan to transform the Northern Kentucky education landscape into one of the best at meeting the needs of families and learners.  President & CEO Cheye Calvo talked about deeply held beliefs in the community vs. the realities of today:

  • In NKY, we believe all kids deserve a fair shot at learning.  But in reality, only half of NKY kids start Kindergarten ready to learn.
    • 52% of NKY students arrive at kindergarten ready to learn. 36% of River City district students arrive at kindergarten ready to learn.
  • In NKY, we believe our kids are the future.  But in reality, NKY kids are not being prepared for the future.
    • Following Kindergarten, kids in NKY see a steady decline in proficiency all the way through high school.
  • In NKY, we believe NKY is a thriving region. But in reality, declines in education threaten our community’s prosperity.
    • NKY kindergarten readiness in down 3% from 2014. NKY Grade 8 combined Reading and Math proficiency is down 12% since 2013. The NKY average composite ACT is down 1.5 points since 2019.
  • In NKY, we believe NKY is a place where you can roll up your sleeves and get stuff done. But in reality, we let the complexities of the education system keep us from making change.
    • Those complexities often lead to scapegoating, hopelessness, and ultimately a lack of progress that is not reflective of our community’s can-do attitude.

Our goal is to ignite possible.  We need to show our kids and their families that in NKY they can start strong, build their skills and own the future. EducateNKY will work with partners and the community to create conditions that make change possible.  While only 30% of the 10,103 young people in or headed to public school in the River Cities are on track for success, we are setting an ambitious goal to increase that to 54.6% by 2034. EducateNKY will serve as a catalyst within three areas:

  • Incubator – Help bring new, research-based ideas to life.
  • Accelerator – Assist existing organizations expand their impact.
  • Activator – Collaboratively create opportunities for public/private partnerships in business, education engagement, legislative initiatives, and/or in school-based settings.