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It's Come Sooner Than Expected. Millennials Turn Midlife Into Best Life | News

35 is the new 45 when it comes to experiencing a hypothetical midlife crisis, which is younger than what has been seen in previous decades, according to a study by

Philippines , Filipino , Macy-padilla , Ren-benedicto , Claire-smith , Jonathan-paul-sanchez , Denise-alignay , Kathleen-gerson , National-institute-on , Pew-research-center , York-university , Deloitte

It's Come Sooner Than Expected. Millennials Turn Midlife Into Best Life | Lifestyles

35 is the new 45 when it comes to experiencing a hypothetical midlife crisis, which is younger than what has been seen in previous decades, according to a study by

Philippines , Filipino , Macy-padilla , Kathleen-gerson , Claire-smith , Denise-alignay , Ren-benedicto , Jonathan-paul-sanchez , National-institute-on , Pew-research-center , York-university , Deloitte

WATCH BACK: JCPS 'State of the District' address

WATCH BACK: JCPS 'State of the District' address
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Updated: 12:46 PM EST Feb 25, 2021
WATCH BACK: JCPS 'State of the District' address
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Updated: 12:46 PM EST Feb 25, 2021
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>> NOW O WLKY, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STATE OF THE DISTRICT. HERE IS SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MARTY POLLIO. GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M MARTY POLLIO, SUPERINTENDENT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AT JCPS WE KEEP TRYING NEW THINGS AND THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME. I USUALLY GIVE THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT ADDRESS BEFORE AN IN-PERSON AUDIENCE. WE’VE NEVER DONE THIS ON TELEVISION BUT THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND IT’ IMPORTANT TO ME TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY. THANK YOU TO WLKY FOR PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR JCPS. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON A JCPS STUDENT’S LIFE IN THE LAST YEAR, OUR EDUCATORS, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS UNCLES, NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS, YOU’VE ALL HELPED A CHILD GET THROUGH A REALLY TOUGH YEAR. SO MANY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE STEPPED UP TO HELP FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME LIKE EVOLVE 502, HUMANA, BROWN-FORMAN AND GROUPS WHO’VE SUPPORTED STUDENTS AT LEARNING HUBS. FROM ALL OF US AT JCPS, WE CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR HELPING OUR 96,000 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NON-TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION. I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO INTRODUCE SOME OF YOU TO WHAT JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT. I AM EQUALLY EXCITED TO FURTHER CONNECT WITH OUR FAMILIES AND STAFF TO SHARE OUR NEW WAY FORWARD. I AM GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR PLANS FOR A SAFE REOPENING OF SCHOOL AND DETAIL MY RECOMMENDATION TO OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION ABOUT WHEN I BELIEVE OUR SCHOOLS CAN REOPEN. I WILL ALSO SHARE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR AND OUR FUTURE STATE, WHI INCLUDES PLANS TO RECOVER LOST LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC THE FUTURE STATE IS OUR ROADMAP TO IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES. THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, THESE PAST 11 MONTHS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGING. BUT I BELIEVE EVERY CHALLENGE REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW STRONGER, AND BECOME EVEN MORE BOLD. THAT’S WHERE WE ARE IN JCPS. GONE IS THE TIME OF DOING THINGS THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS DONE THEM. WE HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS AN EDUCATORS BUT WE ARE JUST STARTING TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES TO THIS DISTRICT. THESE ARE THE CHANGES NEEDED T ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS. THAT IS ALL WE HAVE EVER WANTE THERE IS NO GREATER FEELING THAN SEEING STUDENTS ACHIEVE. THAT IS WHY I INITIALLY LIKED COACHING SO MUCH. MY GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO BE A BASKETBALL COACH, BUT AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PATH FOR ME. LEADING JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH CHALLENGIN TIMES AND TRANSFORMATION IS MY LIFE CALLING. YOU SPEND COUNTLESS NIGHTS THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE T BEST DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. BUT IN THE END THE DECISION ALWAYS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME; DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS. WHEN I ANNOUNCED WE’D BE CLOSING SCHOOLS IN MARCH OF 2020, I INITIALLY DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE MORE THAN 90,000 STUDENTS LEARNING REMOTELY. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT DIDN’T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER AND WIFI CONNECTIVITY THEN WE DID SOMETHING WE OFTEN DO IN JCPS, WE DARED TO BELIEVE. WE BELIEVED IN THE UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES OF JCPS STUDENTS. AND WE BELIEVED IN OUR EDUCATORS. YOU’VE HEARD IT FROM ME, BUT I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT FROM THE ♪ >> I THINK OUR HEART HAS BEEN REDEFINED. IT HAS ALMOST FOUND ITS PURPOSE DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND I’M READY TO GET BACK IN THAT BUILDING AND LOVE ON OUR KIDS. >> WE NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN OUR STUDENTS AND WE NEVER STOP BEING THERE. AFTER MARCH 13, EVERYTHING DISAPPEARED, ALL THE THINGS I CARED ABOUT WERE JUST ON. >> WHEN THEY SENT US HOME IN MARCH, WE WENT HOME AND WE WERE THINKING WE WOULD BE BACK. SO WE ALL WENT OUT WITH A BACKPACK AND LAPTOP, AND ALMOST A FULL YEAR LATER WE ARE STILL THERE. >> MULTIPLYING IT IF IT IS A RECTANGLE. >> JUST LIKE A COLORED FISH, YOU JUST GET ONE POINT. >> I PRESENT TO YOU THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020. THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. I SAY THAT WITH LAUGHTER. >> IT HAS BEEN REWARDING, BECAUSE IT HAS GIVEN ALL OF US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR INCREDIBLE EDUCATORS AND YOU CAN TELL HOW MUCH THEY CARE. OUR EDUCATORS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY THIS PAST YEAR AND HAVE RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE THIS WORK I QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT NOT ONLY COULD STUDENTS LEARN BUT LIVES COULD BE CHANGED, EVEN IN OUR VIRTUAL REALITY. THERE ARE MORE THAN 160 SCHOOLS IN JCPS, WITH ONE VISION, OUR STUDENTS WILL BECOME SUCCESS STORIES. WE HAVE MORE THAN 17,000 EMPLOYEES BUT WE ARE ONE FAMILY. THANK YOU TO OUR EDUCATORS FOR TAKING ON THE UNTHINKABLE AND CONTINUING TO OVERCOME SO MANY OBSTACLE WE HAVE DARED TO BELIEVE WHAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE FACE OF TRUE ADVERSITY. OUR EDUCATORS HAVE CHANG COURSE, BROKEN DOWN TRADITIONS AND SAID YES. YES TO STARTING OVER AND YES TO KIDS. THE CLOSURE OF OUR SCHOOLS N ONLY CHANGED HOW WE OPERATE, I TURNED YOUR LIFE AT HOME UPSIDE DOWN TOO. WE KNOW IT HASN’T BEEN EASY AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN BRING OUR STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL AN SEE THE JOY OF LEARNING IN-PERSON AGAIN. WE MUST RE-ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS IN LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEIR FUTURES. WE ARE HELPING STUDENTS TO SEE THIS EVERYDAY THROUGH OUR BACKPACK OF SUCCESS SKILLS. EVERY STUDENT IN THE 5TH, 8T AND 12TH GRADE PRESENTS EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL BEFORE A PANEL OF ADULTS. I WAS CONCERNED WHEN WE WENT INTO NTI IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE WITH OUR FOCUS ON THE BACKPACK OF SUCCESS SKILLS. HOWEVER, THE BACKPACK DEFENSES FROM OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN INSPIRING DURING THIS PANDEMIC THESE PRESENTATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A MOVING MOMENT FOR ME AND REMIND ME OF THE WHY BEHIND OUR WORK THAT IS WHAT I CHALLENGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO DO. THIS IS MACY PADILLA FRIESEN. SHE IS FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND IS A STUDENT AT NEWCOMER ACADEMY. SHE HAD ONLY BEEN IN LOUISVILLE FOR LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN SHE PRESENTED HER BACKPACK DEFENSE IN FRONT OF MYSELF AND THE MAYOR IN 201 AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MACY WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS TO STAND UP AND GIVE A PRESENTATION IN ENGLISH BUT WITH ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT THIS YOUNG LADY WAS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE A ROOM OF ADULTS AND SHARE HER MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. I WILL NEVER FORGET MACY AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO OVERCOME SO MUCH AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL HERE IN JCP MACY WAS ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE DEVELOPED AT HER SCHOOL. SEEING HER TEACHERS IN THAT MOMENT GAVE HER THE COURAGE TO COMPLETE WHAT AT FIRST SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. THAT TYPE OF IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE IS INCREDIBLE. WE KNOW THAT NOTHING REPLACES THE POWER OF IN-PERSON LEARNIN EVERY DAY THAT A STUDENT IS WITH US IN-PERSON IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR LIFE WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAFELY OFFER IN-PERSON LEARNING. AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING AND PREPARING, OUR SCHOOLS ARE READY TO REOPEN. OVER THE LAST YEAR, OUR OPERATIONS TEAM HAS SECURED MORE THAN 4 MILLION MASKS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE HAVE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, OR PPE, THEY NEED FOR A SAFE REOPENING. YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE IMAGES THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS STORED IN OUR WAREHOUSE RIGHT NOW AND WILL BE SENT TO SCHOOLS FOR OUR REOPENING. THERE ARE SEVERAL THOUSAND BOXES FULL OF THE PPE YOUR CHILDREN AND OUR STAFF NEED. NO SCHOOL WILL GO WITHOUT THE ESSENTIAL PROTECTIVE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO SAFELY OPEN SCHOOL WE WILL FOLLOW THE EXPECTATIONS ESTABLISHED BY STATE LEADERS WHEN OUR SCHOOLS REOPEN, SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES, STUDENTS AND STAFF WILL WEAR MASK PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT SCHOOLS, HEALTH AND SAFETY SCREENINGS WILL TAKE PLACE, SANITATION PROTOCOLS WILL BE IN PLACE AND, THERE WILL BE A PROCESS FO CONTACT TRACING IF THERE IS A CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE AT A SCHO . FOR THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE MONITORED STATE AND NATIONAL GUIDANCE, ADJUSTED AND BEEN ABLE TO PIVOT EASILY TO ENSURE ALL SAFETY MEASURES ARE IN PLACE. WE WILL FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE FR STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS AND W ARE EVEN WORKING TO ENSURE A NURSE OR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WILL BE AT EVERY SCHOOL WHEN OUR BUILDINGS REOPEN. YOUR SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT TO US THAN ANYTHING ELSE. OUR SCHOOLS HAVE DEVELOPED THOROUGH PLANS TO ADHERE TO THE GUIDANCE EACH SCHOOL’S INDIVIDUAL PLAN CAN BE VIEWED ON OUR WEBSITE. WHILE YOU CAN READ ABOUT THE PLANS ONLINE, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE AT ONE OUR SCHOOL THE CLASSROOM HAS SIX FEET OF DISTANCE WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS ON OUR RETURN TO SCHOOL AND READJUST THE PLAN AS WE GET NEW INFORMATION. ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS IS SIX FEET APART, SO IF WE MUST DO SIX FEET APART, WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK. THE OTHER CLASSROOM HAS SEATS THAT ARE DISTANCED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. IN BOTH CLASSROOMS STUDENTS ARE FACING FORWARD AND STUDENTS ARE MASKED. STUDENTS COMING THIS WAY IT WOULD HAVE AN ADULT HELPING THEM GET OFF OF THE BUS IN A DISTANCED MANNER. THEIR NEXT STOP WOULD BE TABLE WHETHER TEMPERATURE IS TAKEN. THE STUDENT WOULD THEN GO TO THE NEXT SPOT, WHICH IS HAND SANITIZER AND THE VERY NEXT STEP IS THE BREAKFAST KIOSK. C1 KIOSK, WHERE THEY GRAB BREAKFAST. WE HAVE MANY ADULTS STATIONED IN OUR PLAN ALONG THIS ROUTE TO SHOW THEM THAT. WHEN WE LET THEM OFF OF THE BUS, THE ADULT IN CHARGE OF THE BUS LETS THEM OFF SLOWLY. TWO STUDENTS AT A TIME. ARRIVAL WILL TAKE LONGER. THE SCHEDULE ALLOWS FOR SPACING IN BETWEEN LUNCH SO THE CAFETERIA CAN BE SANITIZED IN BETWEEN THAT LUNCH TIME >>. I THINK THE GREAT BIG TOPIC -- TIME. >> I THINK THE GREAT BIG TOPIC HAS BEEN AROUND VENTILATION. YOU HAVE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM OUR HVAC DIES THAT OUR SYSTEMS ARE CAPABLE OF DOING WHAT IS BEING CALLED ON TO DO FOR COVID-19. THE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT ALSO ONE OF MANY THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. ALL THESE MEASURES TOGETHER ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL HELP KEEP KIDS AND STAFF SAFE. I THINK KIDS ARE USED TO SOCIAL DISTANCING TO A DEGREE NOW. IT HAS BECOME MORE OF A NORM THEN IN THE PAST. I TRUST OUR KIDS COMPLETELY TO GET THAT. KIDS WANT TO BE BACK AND KIDS WILL HAVE THESE PROCESSES TO FOLLOW. I THINK ASHER DON’T WANT TO UNDERESTIMATE WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO -- I DON’T WANT TO UNDERESTIMATE WHAT PEOPLE WI DO, BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO GET IN PERSON LEARNING. I THINK EVERYONE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE MEASURES TO HELP US PREVENT TRANSMISSION. MARTY: THAT’S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS WILL LOOK LIKE THANKS TO THE -- LOOK LIKE. THANKS TO THE TEAM FOR A TOUR. SCHOOL WILL LOOK AND FEEL DIFFERENT, BUT AT ITS CORE, IT WILL BE THE SAME PLACE WE ALL LOVE. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN BEING IN A CLASSROOM AND SEEING A CHILD TRULY ENGAGE IN THE LEARNING PROCESS AND SUCCEED. THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITH A SAFETY FIRST APPROACH. CARING ADULTS WILL BE IN OUR BUILDINGS READY TO SUPPORT CHILDREN. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HA TO DO IS WELCOME CHILDREN BACK AND INTO OUR BUILDINGS WITH AN OPEN HEART AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED SIN WE LAST SAW THEM IN PERSON LAST MUCH. WE GET UP EVERY DAY AND SAY, WHAT OPPORTUNITY WILL I HAVE TODAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD’S LIFE NTI HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, BECAUSE SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM THE SERVICES AND RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE WITH JCPS EDUCATORS ON A DAILY BASIS. AS A RESULT OF THE PAST YEAR, WE WILL NEED TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND THROUGH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE AN INTENSE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING KIDS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. REOPENING OUR SCHOOLS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX THINGS WE WILL DO IN JCPS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LOGISTICAL SCENARIOS WE HAVE EVER HAD TO FACE. AND WITH EACH STEP WE TAKE, WE DO IT WITH YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY IN MIND. THIS IS WHAT WE’VE SPENT THE LAST YEAR PREPARING FOR. THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT LEARNING AND TO HELP ENSURE SOCIAL DISTANCING AS MUCH AS POSSIBL THERMOMETERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES TO CHECK THEIR CHILD’S TEMPERATURE BEFORE THEY GO TO SCHOOL. NEW EQUIPMENT WILL BE IN PLACE AT SOME SCHOOLS TO HELP WITH AIR FLOW AND VENTILATION. AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON PLAN TO HAVE WATER FILLING STATIONS AT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL. EACH SCHOOL WILL DESIGNATE A HEALTHY AT SCHOOL OFFICER TO KEEP TRACK OF ANY POSITIVE CASES AT THE SCHOOL. MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT EACH SCHOOL WILL WORK WITH JCPS HEAL SERVICES TO CONDUCT CONTRACT TRACING IN COORDINATION WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE HEALTHY AT SCHOOL TEAM WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO A STUDENT W HAS TO BE IN QUARANTINE. THERE WILL ALSO BE A HEALTH ROOM AT EVERY SCHOOL FOR ANY CHILD THAT BECOMES ILL DURING THE DAY. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. ANOTHER MAJOR STEP IN OUR PLANNING WAS DEFINITELY THE VACCINATION OF OUR EMPLOYEES. OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, MORE THAN 12,000 JCPS EDUCATORS WER VACCINATED AT THE LOUVAX SITE AT BROADBENT ARENA. THIS WAS AN EXTRAORDINAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISVILLE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT. TO SEE OUR TEAM GET THIS SHOT OF HOPE WAS NOT ONLY ENCOURAGING BUT IT REAFFIRMED MY BELIEF TH WE CAN REOPEN OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU TO GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR FOR PRIORITIZING EDUCATORS AND VALUING THEIR SAFETY AS WE CONTINUE TO BATTL THIS DEVASTATING VIRUS KENTUCKY HAS LED THE WAY AND IS NOW A MODEL FOR HOW THE DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINES SHOULD WORK. OUR PLAN CALLS FOR A REOPENING OF SCHOOLS BUT THERE WILL STILL BE A VIRTUAL LEARNING OPTION AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES THROUGH JCPS. THIS WILL BE A SCHOOL-BASED MODEL, MEANING STUDENTS WOULD STILL BE ENROLLED AT THEIR CURRENT SCHOOL. THIS FORMAT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT ALL FAMILIES ARE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH NTI. STUDENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCESS THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AND LIVE INSTRUCTION WITH GOOGLE CLASSROOM, GOOGLE MEET, AND MICROSOFT TEAMS. THE LAST YEAR HASN’T BEEN EASY, BUT WE HAVE WITNESSED INCREDIBLE LEARNING AS WELL DURING NTI. OUR STUDENTS ARE SO RESILIENT. WE KNOW OUR KIDS ARE READY. I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL WE ARE BACK TOGETHER. DON’T JUST TAKE IT FROM ME. HOW ABOUT WE TAKE IT FROM SOME OF THEM. ♪ >> MY FAVORITE PART OF LEARNING AT HOME IS STAYING SAFE, BUT STILL BEING ABLE TO LEARN. MY FAVORITE PART OF LEARNING AT HOME IS MASKS. MY FAVORITE PART OF LEARNING AT HOME IS I GET THE LUNCH AT HOME, AND SOMETIMES MY MOM [INDISCERNIBLE] >> I LIKE SCHOOL AT HOME BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE TO WAKE UP AS EARLY. >> WHAT’S ON LOOKING -- WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING BACK IN SCHOOL IS EVERYTHING IS ORGANIZED AND I CAN SEE MY FRIEND AGAIN. >> WHAT I MOST LOOKING FORWARD GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IS SEEING MY FRIENDS, BECAUSE I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM IN A LONG TIME. I CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO SEE MY FRIENDS, MY TEACHER, AND IT WILL BE WAY EASIER. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEY’RE LIKE A SECOND FAMILY, AND I CAN’T WAIT TO MEET EVERYONE AGAIN. >> MY FAVORITE PART OF SCHOOL IS THAT I CAN [INDISCERNIBLE] >> I CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE I’M ABOUT TO GRADUATE, AND I WANT TO SEE MY FRIENDS. ♪ DR. POLLIO: HOW AWESOME IS THAT? I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE OUR STUDENT’S FACES AGAIN IN-PERSON, AND I AM MORE HOPEFUL THAN EVER BEFORE. WHEN OUR BUILDINGS REOPEN, IT WILL BE DONE IN THE SAFEST MANNER POSSIBLE AND FOLLOW ALL GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS. THIS HAS BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS, WE ARE EDUCATORS. WE ARE NOT EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, -- BUT WE DO SAVE LIVES IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THIS EVENING, I WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ABOUT WHEN I BELIEVE OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD REOPEN. THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL VOTE ON OUR PLAN TONIGHT AT 6:00, AND YOU CAN WATCH THE MEETING ON OUR JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION YOUTUBE PAGE. FIRST OFF, I CAN’T THANK OUR BOARD MEMBERS ENOUGH FOR THEIR TIME REVIEWING DATA AND TALKING TO FAMILIES AND STAF BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS DEFINITELY NOT AN EASY JOB. WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR IS UNLIKE ANYTHING WE’VE EVER ENDURED BEFORE. THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD CHAIR, DIANE PORTER, VICE CHAIR, CHRIS KOLB, JAMES CRAIG, JOE MARSHALL, CORRIE SHULL, LINDA DUNCAN, AND SARA COLE-MCINTOSH FOR YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN AND THIS COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK CHRIS BRADY FOR HIS TIME ON OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION. HE WAS WITH US FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR AS WE FACED THIS PANDEMIC AND PLANNED FOR A SAFE RETURN TO SCHOOL. I APPRECIATE THIS TEAM MORE THAN YOU KNOW. AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND COLLABORATION WITH MEDICAL EXPERTS, HERE IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. OUR PLAN HAS ALWAYS INCLUDED A PROGRESSION IN OUR RETURN TO SCHOOL. WE WANT TO START BY WELCOMING BACK SOME OF OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE STUDENTS TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING ON MARCH 17. THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE WOULD REOPEN ON MARCH 18. MY RECOMMENDATION CALLS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE IN SESSION FIVE DAYS A WEEK. OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS WOULD RETURN TO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM THE FOLLOWING MONDAY ON MARCH 22. HERE IS OUR PLAN FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN-PERSON LEARNING WOULD BEGIN RIGHT AFTER SPRING BREAK ON APRIL 5. MY RECOMMENDATION CALLS FOR A HYBRID PLAN FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. STUDENTS WOULD GO TO SCHOOL TWO DAYS A WEEK, LEARN REMOTELY TWO DAYS A WEEK, AND WEDNESDAY WOULD BE A REMOTE LEARNING DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS. STUDENTS WOULD BE IN TWO GROUPS BASED ON THEIR LAST NAME STUDENTS WHOSE LAST NAMES START WITH A THROUGH WILL GO TO SCHOOL IN-PERSON ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, AND STUDENTS WHO LAST NAME BEGINNING WITH L THROUGH Z WOULD GO TO SCHOOL ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS. STUDENTS OF ALL GRADES WHO ELECT TO REMAIN IN VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION WOULD HAVE ONLINE CLASSES FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AS THEY DO NOW WITH A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF LIVE AND RECORDED INSTRUCTION AS THEY HAVE IN PLACE CURRENTLY. MY RECOMMENDATION ALSO CALLS FOR TEACHERS TO HAVE A COUPLE WORKDAYS TO SET UP THEIR CLASSROOMS BEFORE STUDENTS ARE WELCOMED BACK INTO THE BUILDING. AND TO PROVIDE NEEDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, THIS IS A DEFINING MOMENT FOR US. A MOMENT THAT WE HAVE WORKED TOWARDS SINCE WE CLOSED OU BUILDINGS LAST MARCH. THIS IS ALSO A UNIFYING MOMENT FOR US. IT IS THE TIME THAT WE COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS LIKE WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE. NOW THAT WE HAVE THESE SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE, IT’S TIME FOR US TO DO WHAT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST WE’VE BUILT A PLAN AT JCPS, BUT IT WILL TAKE ALL OF US TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS. WHETHER YOU ARE A JCPS EMPLOYE A PARENT, OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER LET’S CONTINUE TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF STUDENT THEY NEED US, AND WE’VE CERTAINLY MISSED THEM. WHEN STUDENTS COME BACK TO U WE’LL HAVE TO ADDRESS LOST LEARNING THAT HAS OCCURRED OVER THE PAST YEAR. OUR EDUCATORS HAVE DONE GREAT WORK, BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE CANNOT MAKE UP FOR LOST LEARNING IN OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE. AS A DISTRICT AND A COMMUNITY, WE MUST SUPPORT INTENTIONAL AND ENGAGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, OUTSIDE THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL DAY. THIS SHOULD INCLUDE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR A MINIMUM OF 30,000 KIDS, CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEARNING HUBS, AND A CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO INCREASING STUDENT ATTENDANCE. THE GREAT NEWS, THESE CRITICAL AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FOR KIDS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN A MATTER OF MONTHS. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, WE WILL HAVE THOUSANDS OF JCPS STUDENTS ACCESSING ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME TO RECOVER LOST LEARNING, AND WE’LL SEE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR CLASSROOMS TODAY IMPACTS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WORLD TOMORROW WE ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE DARE TO BELIEVE IN A GREATER PATH FORWARD THAT BUILDS NEW, EQUITABLE SYSTEMS THAT LIFT -- LIFTS UP ALL STUDENTS. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A FUTURE FOR JCPS THAT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUTCOMES LIKE NEVER BEFORE. WE STARTED CALLING THIS OUR FUTURE STATE. AND BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND THE PANDEMIC, A BETTER FUTURE STATE FOR KIDS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTAN I JOINED JCPS IN 1997, AND N MUCH HAD CHANGED IN TWO DECADES. THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ORGANIZATION WAS VIRTUALLY THE SAME, UNTIL WE STARTED DEVELOPING A FUTURE STATE PLAN 18 MONTHS AGO. BEFORE WE COULD REALLY DIG INTO THIS, WE HAD A MAJOR HURDLE TO OVERCOME, WE HAD TO EMERGE FROM THE THREAT OF A STATE TAKEOVER. THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DETERMINED THAT JCPS DOES NOT NEED STATE MANAGEMENT OR ASSISTANCE AFTER AN EXTENSIVE FOLLOW UP AUDIT THIS PAST FALL IN FACT, AUDITORS TOLD US WHEN THEY CAME BACK IN THE FALL TO REVIEW OUR WORK, IT WAS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY FROM THEIR FIRST AUDIT SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IN 2017, WE HAD MORE THAN 250 DEFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED IN THE AUDIT. THREE YEARS LATER, THAT NUMBER WAS REDUCED TO LESS THAN 30 AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT. THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN BY CHANCE. THAT IS THE RESULT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING. WE HAVE ALSO CREATED STRUCTURES THAT BENEFIT STUDENTS. I CANNOT THANK OUR STAFF AND SCHOOLS ENOUGH FOR THEIR HARD WORK, AND I AM SO PROUD WE CAME OUT OF THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN WITH A FUTURE STATE AND SUCCESSFUL. OUR STUDENTS WILL HAVE NEW SUPPORT IN STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES THAT MEETS THE NEED OF 21ST-CENTURY LEARNERS. WE ARE IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONSTRUCTION BOOMS OUR DISTRICT HAS EVER SEEN. IN MY PAST STATE OF THE DISTRICT ADDRESSES, I STRESSED THE NEED FOR NEW FACILITIES IN JCPS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ONLY FOUR SCHOOLS IN JCPS HAVE BEEN BUILT THIS CENTURY. WORSE, THE ACADEMY AT SHAWNEE HAS HAD A CONDEMNED THIRD FLOOR SINCE THE EARLY 1980S. I’M PROUD TO SAY WE ARE FINALLY CHANGING THAT. WHEN WE DARED TO BELIEVE, THE OUTCOME WAS THAT A BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL IN WEST LOUISVILLE, THAT HAD A THIRD FLOOR CLOSED OFF FOR DECADES, IS NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF A $40 MILLION RENOVATION. THE ACADEMY AT SHAWNEE WILL BE A BEACON OF HOPE, NOT JUST WEST OF 9TH STREET BUT A MARVEL FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY. WHEN WE DARE TO BELIEVE, WE CAN BREAK GROUND ON TWO NEW SCHOOLS. WE DID THAT THIS YEAR. WE BROKE GROUND ON A NEW SCHOOL IN THE DIXIE HIGHWAY CORRIDOR AND ONE IN THE NEWBURG COMMUNITY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE FIRST NEW SCHOOLS IN THESE COMMUNITIES IN THIS CENTURY. FINALLY, WE ARE PREPARING TO BREAK GROUND ON A THIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS SPRING AT 18TH AND BROADWAY. I CAN’T WAIT TO BE THERE FOR THAT GROUNDBREAKING. FOR FAR TOO LONG WE HAVE WATCHED OTHER DISTRICTS BREAK GROUND ON NEW, INNOVATIVE LEARNING FACILITIES ALL OVER THE NATION. NOW, WE ARE FINALLY DOING IT IN JCPS. BUT WE ARE NOT JUST BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS, WE ARE BUILDING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN INCREASED SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG STUDENTS AND ESTABLISHIN CONNECTIONS THAT LEAD TO INCREASE ACHIEVEMENT. WE’VE TAKEN BIG STEPS IN THIS AREA, AND WE TOOK ANOTHER BOLD STEP THIS YEAR I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT, THIS YEAR, IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, WE OPENED THE GRACE JAMES ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE. THE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS WITH AN AFRO CENTRIC AND GENDER CENTRIC CURRICULUM MAY HAVE STARTE VIRTUALLY, BUT THE EXCITEMENT FROM THE STUDENTS EXTENDS BEYO ANY COMPUTER SCREE REMEMBER, THAT IS THREE SCHOOLS WE HAVE OPENED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND THEY’RE ALL INNOVATIVE AND FANTASTIC SCHOOLS. BY DARING TO BELIEVE, WE’VE CREATED MEANINGFUL OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO DISCOVER THEIR PASSIONS. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. OUR ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE HAVE FAR SURPASSED SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN MANY OTHER DISTRICT WE OFFER OVER 55 UNIQUE CAREER PATHWAYS IN OUR HIGH SCHOO THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN 120 DIFFERENT INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THAT WILL IMPACT THE WORKFORCE IN LOUISVILLE KONTA -- LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. EVEN IN THIS MOST UNUSUAL SCHOOL YEAR, NEARLY 1,000 JCPS STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS WHILE WE’VE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF NTI. SO I WANT TO REALLY THINK THE ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE GUIDING TEAM, OUR 135 BUSINESS PARTNERS, AS WELL AS GLI A KENTUCKIANA WORKS FOR PARTNERING WITH US IN THIS INITIATIVE. THE ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE AR PROVIDING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS THIS PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS BY GIVING THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DO THE HANDS-ON LEARNING THIS INITIATIVE OFFERS. MEETING EACH STUDENT’S UNIQUE NEEDS IS AT THE HEART OF OUR RACIAL EQUITY WORK BELIEVE ME, RACIAL EQUITY IS INTERTWINED WITH EACH PART OF OUR FUTURE STATE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS THE FOCUS OF EACH PART OF OUR FUTURE STATE. JCPS REMAINS ONE OF THE FEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS A RACIAL EQUITY POLICY AND PLAN IN PLACE. OUR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUIT IS STRONGER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE GOING. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO DO. WE’VE LAID OUT THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE NEEDED TO BEST HELP STUDENTS, AND I -- AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. THERE ARE TEAMS OF JCPS EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS OUR DISTRICT WORKING RIGHT NOW, IN THESE KEY AREAS OF OUR FUTURE STATE PLAN, STUDENT ASSIGNMENT, FACILITIES, EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, CONTINUOUS STUDENT IMPROVEMENT, RESOURCING HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS, TECHNOLO AND WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. THESE COLLABORATIVE TEAMS ARE BUILDING A ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE STATE OF JCPS. THIS IS WHAT I DO KNOW, WE WILL BECOME THE BEST IN THE NATION IN EACH AN AREA -- EACH AND EVERY AREA OF THE FUTURE STATE PLAN. OUR STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE 1980’S. WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT IS MORE EQUITABLE AND PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH MORE ACCESS TO MORE SCHOOLS. IF WE DARE TO BELIEVE, WE CAN BREAK DOWN WHAT I THINK IS THE MOST RACIALLY INEQUITABLE SYSTEM WITHIN OUR STRUCTURE THAT IS OUR CURRENT STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLA OUR STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN PLACES THE ONUS OF DIVERSITY SOLELY ON ONE COMMUNITY. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PREDOMINATELY WEST LOUISVILLE DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. THEY ARE THE ONLY STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY WHO HAVE TO TRAVEL UP TO 20 MILES TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT ISN’T THEIR CHOICE IF THEY’RE NOT EXCEPTED INTO A MAGNET PROGRAM. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE WASN’T THE POLITICAL WILL TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE PLAYED A ROLE IN ENSURING DIVERSITY. OVER THE YEARS, THE STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN MORPHED INTO A RULE THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WEST LOUISVILLE DESERVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT EVERY OTHER STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT HAS. THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT EQUITY. YOUR ZIP CODE SHOULDN’T DICTATE THE CHOICES YOU HAVE AND THE RIGHTS AVAILABLE TO YOU. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPE TO WES LOUISVILLE PARENTS ABOUT THIS PLAN, AND HERE’S WHAT WE HEARD. >> MY DAME -- MY NAME IS DESMOND PRINCE AND MY SON GOES TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. IT IS STRESSFUL BECAUSE IF HE MISSES THE BUS, I HAVE TO TAKE AND WAY OUT THERE, IT IS PRETTY FAR, AND I HAVE TO MAKE IT TO WORK AT SAME TIME. IT IS PRETTY STRESSFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN OPTION OR HIM TO HAVE AN OPTION. I HAVE TWO TWIN BOYS THAT GO TO STEWART ACADEMY, JOSHUA PARKER AND JEREMIAH PARKER. >> I AM JEREMIAH PARKER AND I AM 13. >> I’M JOSHUA PARKER, 13, AND I GO TO THE ACADEMY. >> I DON’T THINK IT’S RIGHT FOR KIDS TO GO WAY FURTHER OUT WHEN THEY CAN GO CLOSER TO HOME. SO YES, TO ME IT IS FREEDOM. ♪ DR. POLLIO: PART OF OUR FUTURE STATE PLAN CALLS FOR ADDRESSING THIS, HEAD ON. IT’S TIME. OUR PROPOSAL CALLS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN WEST LOUISVILLE TO HAVE NOT ONE BUT TWO CHOICES IN WHERE THEY CAN ATTEND SCHOOL. THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO SELECT A SCHOOL CLOSE TO HOME OR A SCHOOL IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNIT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND IT IS NOT ABOUT BUSSING. THIS IS ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT FOR KIDS AND GIVING A CHOICE TO ALL FAMILIES. THIS WILL LEAD TO UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENT FROM JCPS IN WE LOUISVILLE, WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED FOR DECADES. UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, WE WOULD BUILD A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WEST LOUISVILLE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL. ANOTHER AREA THAT IS CRITICAL IN OUR PLANNING IS RESOURCING OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE GREATEST NEED. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO US FOR HELP STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AT HOME NE -- HOME MUST HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND RESOURCES IN THEIR SCHOOL. NO SCHOOL WILL GO WITHOUT. WE WANT TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS MUST BE MET. OUR WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WILL CREATE THE STRONGEST PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS IN THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED OU TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO ATTRACT A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION INTO OU -- DIVERSE POPULATION, INTO OUR TEACHER PIPELINE. OUR TEACHING POPULATION SHOULD REFLECT OUR STUDENT POPULATION AND WE MUST TAKE INTENTIONAL STEPS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IN JCPS. WE HAVE TALKED FOR MANY YEARS ABOUT CHANGE, AND NOW WE ARE ACTING ON A PLAN THAT WILL TRULY HAVE AN IMPACT WHEN TEACHERS MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, IT CAN HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN. WHEN I WAS A TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL, I’VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT. MR. COOPER IS ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO QUIETLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND PROBABLY DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT. HE IS THE CHOIR DIRECTOR AT NO MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HAS BEEN AT THE SCHOOL SINCE 201 HE INSTILLS HOPE IN STUDENTS, AND HAS HELPED THEM FIND THEIR VOICE. HAVING CONFIDENCE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN BE DIFFICULT, BUT MR. COOPER SEES POTENTIAL IN STUDENTS AND HELPS STUDENTS TO SEE THEIR OWN STRENGTHS. I SHOULD KNOW, HE DID THAT FOR MY DAUGHTER JEN WHEN SHE WAS A STUDENT, AND HE MADE ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. THIS IS WHAT WE DO IN EDUCATION AND THIS IS THE WORK THAT MATTERS. MR. COOPER INVESTS HIS TIME INTO SEEING STUDENTS SUCCEED. IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF CHANGE COULD COME WHEN A COMMUNITY-WIDE INVESTMENT HAPPENS. WE MUST INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS IN NEW WAYS. IN MAY OF 2020, OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION TOOK A COURAGEOUS FIRST STEP. IT’S A STEP THAT HADN’T BEEN ATTEMPTED IN A QUARTER OF CENTURY IN JCPS. OUR BOARD MEMBERS PUT STUDENTS FIRST AND APPROVED A TAX MEASURE THAT WOULD GENERATE MORE THAN $50 MILLION A YEAR FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT WASN’T JUST OUR BOARD FULLY BEHIND AND SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PLAN. BUSINESS LEADERS, PHILANTHROPISTS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INNOVATORS, AND CITIZENS RALLIED BEHIND THIS CAUSE, AND FORMED THE GROUP YES4JCPS. THAT WAS SO INSPIRING TO ME. THE ORGANIZATION CHAMPIONED FOR CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY HELPED TO EDUCATE OUR CIT ON WHAT IT TAKES TO SEE A TRUE DIFFERENCE IN OUTCOMES AND A PATH THAT WOULD LEAD TO MEASURABLE SUCCESS I THANK THIS GROUP OF FORWARD-THINKING BELIEVERS W SAW WHAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN JCPS TO BUILD A BETTER CITY AND A STRONGER ECONOMY FAYETTE COUNTY HAS MADE TH TYPE OF COMMITMENT TO THEIR STUDENTS. OLDHAM COUNTY HAS DONE THE SAME THING, MADE THAT TYPE OF COMMITMENT. IT WAS WAY PAST TIME FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY TO STAND UP AND DO WHAT’S RIGHT. PASSING THIS MEASURE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC WAS A AMBITIOUS STEP, BUT WE DIDN’T HESITATE WE KNEW, WHEN OUR STUDENTS CAME BACK TO US, THE NEED WOULD BE GREATER THAN EVER, AND OUR SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER BEFORE. WE HAVE TO ADVANCE OUR FUTURE STATE. WE HAVE TO DO THIS FOR OUR KID I WILL NOT STANDBY ANY LONGER AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE TOUGH TASKS. THIS IS OUR TIME WE ARE DARING TO BELIEVE IN OUR FUTURE STATE THE FUTURE STATE OF JCPS IS A NEW APPROACH TO TEACHING AND LEARNING THAT BRINGS A STUDENT TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WE GET THERE BY WORKING TOGETHER AND BY INVESTING IN STUDENTS OUR COMMUNITY STOOD UP AND MADE A COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS THE ORGANIZATION, EVOLVE 502, RAISED THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY JCPS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IS GUARANTEED A SCHOLARSHIP TO JEFFERSON COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND SIMMONS COLLEGE OF KENTUCKY. EVOLVE 502 HAS RAISED MORE THAN $10 MILLION FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE THINK EVERYONE THAT HAS SUPPORTED THE ORGANIZATION OF EVOLVE 502. AND THERE IS ANOTHER WAY WE HAVE INVESTED IN OUR STUDENTS, THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE-SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIP FUND. TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD AN IDEA. THE PLAN WAS TO BUILD A SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT OUR EMPLOYEES COULD CONTRIBUTE TO AND HELP STUDENTS GET TO COLLEGE. THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS YOU CAN MAKE IN A STUDENT’S LIFE. WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT GIVE AWAY A COUPLE SMALLER SCHOLARSHIPS. WHAT WE QUICKER LEARNED -- QUICKLY LEARNED IS HOW MUCH OUR EMPLOYEES WANTED TO GIVE AND THE WAY WE CELEBRATE THESE SCHOLARSHIPS HAS BECOME MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR IN JCPS. IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE AWARDED MORE THAN $40,000 TO JCPS SENIORS WHO NEEDED FINANCIAL HELP GOING TO COLLEG BUT WE LEARNED SOMETHING IN THAT YEAR, WE KNOW WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GAVE THE SCHOLARSHIPS IT WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR A STUDENT TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE. SO LAST YEAR, WE CHANGED. WE GAVE OUT $80,000 FROM THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND. THE STUDENTS’ STORIES ARE AS INCREDIBLE AS THEIR GRADES AND THEIR PERSEVERANCE SHINES BRIGHT ♪ DR. POLLIO: I WAS AT THEIR HOUSES AND I’VE SEEN THAT VIDEO MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I STILL GET EMOTIONAL WHEN THEY GET THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES FROM THE CHECK. YOU’VE SEEN WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS A DIFFERENCE MAKER FOR OUR STUDENTS. YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS AS WELL. WE’VE EXTENDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BEYOND OUR EMPLOYEES. YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND DONATE TO STUDENTS BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, JEFFERSON.KYSCHOOLS.US AND CLICKING THE SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION ON OUR HOMEPAGE TO GIVE. SINCE MY LAST STATE OF THE DISTRICT ADDRESSED 12 MONTHS AGO, I KNOW HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED AND THE CHALLENGES WE’VE ALL FACED OVER THE PAST YEAR. I CAN’T THANK ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN JCPS ENOUGH FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, HA WORK, AND RESILIENCE. THIS INCLUDES JCPS EMPLOYEES OUR PARENTS, AND FAMILIES. EVEN WITH THE CHALLENGE OF THE PAST YEAR, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A BETT SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A RESULT. ALL WAS NOT LOST IN 2020 WE BROKE GROUND ON NEW SCHOOLS, WE GOT TECHNOLOGY INTO THE HANDS OF OUR STUDENTS, AND WE PROVIDED MILLIONS OF MEALS TO FAMILIES DURING THE PANDEMIC. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING IN JCPS, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DARE TO BELIEVE. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BE BETTER THAN WE’VE EVER BEEN. WE MUST BE MORE CREATIVE A INNOVATIVE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF KIDS. WE’VE SEEN HOW WE CAN DO THIS AND WE’VE ALREADY STARTED DOING IT. SOME OF THE WAYS WE’VE ADAPTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR WILL LEAD US TO LASTING CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. WE ARE DARING TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THIS DISTRIC WE WILL PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES TO SCHOOLS IN THE HIGHEST NE BY ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE HIGHEST QUALITY TEACHERS. THERE WILL BE MORE TIME FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED. WE WILL BUILD STRUCTURES THAT HELP US TO ACHIEVE TRUE RACIAL EQUITY ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, FROM WHO WE HIRE TO HOW OUR STUDENTS SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED IN OUR CURRICULUM. WE WILL END THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FOR THE CHILDREN OF JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ENSURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY OPPORTUNITY. A STUDENT’S DREAMS SHOULD BE UNLIMITED. THE TIME TO BELIEVE AGAIN IS NO AFTER A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER, WE ARE READY TO BRING OUR STUDENTS BACK TO OUR CLASSROOMS. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING. WE HAVE PLANNED, WE HAVE PREPARED, AND WE ARE READY TO SAFELY REOPEN OUR SCHOOL WE ARE BUILDING SOMETHING NEW IN JCPS. OUR FUTURE STATE WILL EQUIP STUDENTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD. WE HAVE DARED TO BELIEVE IN THIS REALITY. WE NEED YOU TO BELIEVE IN OU KIDS AND THEIR POTENTIAL. WITHOUT A DOUBT, WE NEED YOU TO BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE STATE OF JCPS. THANK

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