Education commissioner to speak at Rotary Club banquet

Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson will be the guest speaker at the Concordia Rotary Club Scholarship Banquet scheduled for May 9 at noon at the Nazareth Motherhouse.
There will be a meal, and high school and college students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher will be honored.
The C. Carl Cunningham Rotary Scholarship was started in 1985 and honors C. Carl Cunningham, a former educator and dedicated Rotarian of the Concordia Rotary Club.
Those who plan to attend the banquet can contact Joshua Meyer at 785-243-2121 by Thursday.
Anyone wanting to join the event to hear Watson speak should arrive at 12:30 p.m.
Known for his visionary leadership, Watson's roots run deep in public education.
As a former history teacher, school principal and superintendent, Watson has dedicated more than 35 years of his life working in public education settings across the state and ensuring that every child receives a world class education. That dedication continues in his current role as the Commissioner of Education.
The Kansas State Board of Education named Watson as the Commissioner of Education in November, 2014.
In his role as the state's chief education officer, Watson provides leadership to the Kansas Department of Education in carrying out the policies and programs set by the State Board of Education.
Watson, a former administrator in Concordia Unified School District 333, is currently leading the agency in the redesign of Kansas public education.
Fueled by the state board's vision for education, crafted in partnership with the citizens of Kansas, Watson is leading statewide initiatives designed to achieve this new vision that Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.
Originally from Coffeyville, Watson attended Kansas State University and earned a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in science in secondary administration, staff supervision and staff development, building level certification. He also received his doctorate of education in secondary administration, school law, curriculum development and instructional leadership and district level certification.
Watson was named an Alumni Fellow at Kansas State in 2015 and has been honored as the Kansas Superintendent of the Year.