Dr. Amy Shutt, Daviess County Public Schools assistant superintendent for human services, was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters from Kentucky Wesleyan College on Saturday in recognition of her outstanding service to the field of education.
The honorary degree was conferred during KWC’s 154th commencement ceremony.
“This is the college’s highest honor and we are proud to extend this to Dr. Shutt in recognition of her achievements and years of dedicated service to Owensboro-Daviess County as well as Kentucky Wesleyan College’s teacher education program,” said Dr. James P. Cousins, KWC provost and vice president of academic affairs. “She has earned an outstanding reputation among our professors and students.”
The award will be presented by KWC President Thomas Mitzel.
Dr. Shutt expressed appreciation for this tremendous honor and the opportunity to work with KWC.
“KWC is a very special place and has produced amazing educators that impact the lives of children every day,” she said. “It has been an outstanding experience to work with the passionate individuals that make KWC a great place for learning. I am humbled by the recognition by President Mitzel and the KWC faculty and students. I count it a privilege to be an education partner with KWC in nurturing the next generation of educators and I am humbled to be given this high honor.”
Dr. Melissa Diebel, assistant professor/teacher education and chairman of the professional studies division at KWC, said the award is a tribute to Shutt’s many contributions to the college’s department of education.
“Dr. Amy Shutt has served on the Teacher Education Advisory Board and has been an integral voice in shaping the education program,” Diebel said. “Her guidance to student teachers, both within the DCPS school system and in the student teaching seminar course, have allowed KWC students to successfully navigate both the interview process and their first few years in the classroom. Additionally, she has developed Dual Credit partnerships for aspiring educators, as well as encouraged the creation of the Teacher Internship Model, which was piloted in the 2021-22 school year for all middle and secondary education majors.”
Diebel also acknowledged Shutt’s partnership in developing a master of arts in teaching proposal that is currently under consideration. When implemented, this plan will include an Option 6 program that will help meet the needs of DCPS and other local school districts by strengthening the teacher pipeline in the community.
Shutt, who is currently serving in her 30th year of K-12 education, earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and organizational development from the University of Louisville in 2004, defending her dissertation on the topic of “School Culture in Kentucky Elementary Schools: Examining the Path to Proficiency.” She earned her Rank I in school administration, and master of arts and bachelor of science degrees in middle grades education and music education from Western Kentucky University. She has earned certifications in areas of superintendency, education administration and middle school education.
Shutt began her career as a 5th- and 6th-grade teacher of language arts, arts and humanities, science and social studies at Drakesboro Elementary School in 1993. She was named principal at that school in 2001, where she was responsible for all instruction and operations of preschool through grade 5. During her tenure, the school was recognized as one of eight elementary schools in Kentucky to significantly close achievement gaps for at-risk students.
She joined DCPS in 2004 as principal of Burns Elementary School, a position she held until 2016. Under her leadership, BES was honored by the Kentucky Department of Education as a Distinguished School of Distinction for multiple years.
Since 2014, Shutt has served as an instructor for the WKU principal certification program, providing in-person and hybrid format instruction and supervision of field experiences for graduate students seeking principal and administrator certifications and doctoral level degrees. Areas of focus include creating a culture of achievement, building culture and community, school leadership and creating organizational structures and operations.
She was named DCPS director of personnel in 2016, coordinating onboarding and orientation for all employees of the Daviess County Public Schools district and facilitating the development of the district’s certified evaluation plan.
She was named to her current role of assistant superintendent for human services in 2017, expanding her responsibilities to include all areas of human services in the personnel and student services departments. Areas of leadership and responsibility also include social work practicum interns, teacher interns and student teachers, developing and facilitating the district’s Future Leaders Academy, providing guidance in areas of health services, student services, counseling services, and Family Resource and Youth Service Centers.
Shutt developed, coordinated and hosted the district’s first Mental Health Summit in August 2021, during which more than 600 educators from across the state gleaned skills and strategies to increase levels of awareness and services to students. The second annual event is scheduled for Aug. 2.
Shutt, a native of Central City, and her husband David have two children, Ethan and Caroline.
