Carrollton, Ky. — April 14, 2022 — Kirk Brooks has stepped into the principal role at the Carroll County Area Technology Center after serving as the school’s interim principal in recent weeks. Brooks comes to the ATC with a unique mixture of teaching, school administration and agricultural/entrepreneurial experience. His duties as principal began April 11.
"I have learned so much and met so many amazing people in the wide variety of environments I’ve had the pleasure of working in, and I'm looking forward to learning even more at the ATC," Brooks said. "It's been a pleasure to work with the staff and students here while I have been interim principal. Everyone has made me feel welcome, and I'm excited to continue the work that we have already begun together.”
Brooks began his career in public education in 2011 at Jefferson Community and Technical College as a professor of English. He then went on to teach English at Portland Christian High School (2012-2014) and Owen County High School (2014-2016) before coming to the iLead Academy in 2016. Brooks returned to Portland Christian High School in 2017 as principal, where he served until 2019.
Starting that year, Brooks and his family started a farming business, where they grew greens for numerous restaurants in Louisville. He also began conducting home inspections while continuing some contract work with iLead.
“I think I have learned as much in the past few years on the farm as I’ve ever learned in the classroom,” Brooks said. “Anyone in agriculture knows how many different practical skills have to come together to grow and sell produce. The same applies to the trades that we are teaching here at the ATC. Skills are always in demand, whether those are agriculture, healthcare, carpentry, information technology, industrial maintenance, automotive or welding.”
Brooks is a 2009 graduate of the University of Louisville, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English. He earned a Master of Arts in teaching from the same institution in 2013. Afterward, he went on to earn an educational specialist degree from University of the Cumberlands in 2017.
He and his family live on a small farm in Worthville, Kentucky, where they raise sheep, chickens, rabbits, and keep a small garden.
The Carroll County Area Technology Center is a state-run Career and Technical Education Center that serves students from five school districts: Carroll, Gallatin, Henry, Owen and Trimble.