A Publication of Jessamine County SchoolsSpring 2013 v Volume 6, Issue 2

Jessamine C

ounty Fiscal Court

101 North M

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icholasville, KY 40356

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Tell Us How We’re Doing!

Congratulations to Andi McNeal (below left), who has been named principal of Red Oak Elementary which will open in the Fall of 2013-14.

Congratulations also go to Dawn Floyd (below right), the new principal of Wilmore Elementary School as she takes the helm from McNeal. This dynamic duo from our highest-performing school will continue to lead with excellence, times two! v

Did you know that you can help us better serve your family by telling us what we’re doing well and where we could improve? Complete our customer service survey on the district website www.jessamine.kyschools.us or on any of our school websites. Thank you for your feedback, it’s important to us! v

Wrapping Up Nine Super YearsAfter a thirty year career in Jessamine Schools, the last nine as superintendent, Dr. Lu S. Young will leave our district on June 30, 2013 to take on a new challenge as the Chief Academic Officer for Fayette County Schools. While we are sad to see her go, we wish her well and thank her for her outstanding service to our district. A superintendent search is underway and we are confident that we will find a great candidate to keep our district moving forward. During that process, our outstanding teachers, administrators and support staff will remain focused on meeting the needs of every child, every day! v

Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow

Page 2 v Winter 2012 Education Matters: A Publication of Jessamine County Schools

WJHS Band Hits a High Note

Striving for Excellence

JCTC Teachers Win State Honors

Kudos to the West Jessamine High School Concert Band for their outstanding performance at the Kentucky Music Educators Association District Festival in Somerset. The WJHS band received all “Distinguished” scores. Congratulations to the band students, staff and parents! v

After receiving initial accreditation in 2008, the Jessamine School District recently hosted a reaccreditation team from AdvancEd, an organization dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide. The rigorous accreditation process asks institutions to critically evaluate their vision, strategies, priorities, leadership, programs and resources. This voluntary process is not only a method of quality assurance but it is also known in terms of its ability to effectively drive student performance and continuous improvement in education. We are excited that the AdvancEd team praised the district’s progress since 2008 and recommended reaccreditation, confirming that we are moving ahead on the path to excellence! v

Congratulations to JCTC teachers Mary Jennings and Matthew Simpson who both won statewide awards from the Kentucky Association of Agricultural Educators. Jennings, who won the “Turn the Key” award and Simpson, who was named “Agriscience Teacher of the Year”, were both selected by their peers across the state for the honors. v

Page 2 v Spring 2013 Education Matters: A Publication of Jessamine County Schools

Education Matters: A Publication of Jessamine County Schools Spring 2013 v Page 3

Education Matters is a publication of the Jessamine County Schools.

School Board MembersEugene Peel, ChairmanAmy Day, Vice-chairHallie BandyDebra HoodFran Settle

Superintendent:Lu S. Young

Assistant Superintendents:James W. AdamsMatt MooreKathy Fields

Editor:Patrice Jones

Design:Carrie McDanald

871 Wilmore RoadNicholasville, KY 40356

(859) 885-4179www.jessamine.kyschools.us

Jess

amine County Schools

Congratulations to our 2013 Teachers of the Year!A Message from our Superintendent by Lu S. YoungWe recognize this group of dedicated professionals for their talents, creativity and commitment to excellence. Each of our winners uses a student-centered approach in the classroom to engage and motivate, making learning challenging and fun. We celebrate these outstanding educators who are representative of the great teaching that goes on in Jessamine County classrooms each and every day. Our teachers of the year are all eligible for the district’s highest honor, the Excellence in Education awards, to be presented at Opening Day for the 2013-14 school year. Please join us as we honor the Jessamine County Teachers of the Year!

Marci SMithWest Jessamine high

JeSSica FoStereast Jessamine Middle

Staci GoGGinSrosenwald-Dunbar elementary

anna Brennenearly Learning Village

traViS SpannThe providence School

aLeSia SaLLeeWest Jessamine Middle

Laura MetzenBerGWarner elementary

KiM LeetBrookside elementary

chriSti hacKJessamine career & technology

JiLL MeSSereast Jessamine high

chriStina BurniGhtWilmore elementary

BrittanY Worthennicholasville elementary

Page 4 v Spring 2013 Education Matters: A Publication of Jessamine County Schools

Graduation ScheduleThe Providence School, May 31st at 7:00 p.m. at Wilmore Free Methodist Church

East Jessamine High School, June 7th at 4:00 p.m. at Southland Christian Church

West Jessamine High School, June 7th at 7:30 p.m. at Southland Christian Church

Adult Education, June 27th at 7:00 p.m. at East Jessamine High School

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

WJHS STLP R GR8The Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) at West Jessamine High School was named

the high school showcase winner and also the overall showcase winner at the eighth annual state STLP competition on March 28, 2013. The STLP program is a project-based learning program that empowers students in all grade levels to use technology to learn and achieve. The state championship allowed over 3,500 students from across the state to come together and demonstrate what they know and can do with technology. Congrats to STLP state champs, WJHS! v

Pictured left to right are the WJHS STLP state champs: Cassandra Charalambakis, Kaylee Hammond and Alex Huffjman.

Education Matters: A Publication of Jessamine County Schools Spring 2013 v Page 5

The Rosenwald-Dunbar Alumni Association will mark a momentous occasion this summer as they hold a reunion of all students who attended the old Nicholasville Rosenwald-Dunbar School during its 43 years of operation. The Rosenwald-Dunbar School opened in 1920 and was closed in 1963 when the Jessamine School District was integrated. This year marks 50 years since the final class graduated from the school. The first, and only other, reunion of the group was held in 1983 and was attended by approximately 250 former students from across the nation. For more information, please contact Hallie Miller at 266-9647 or by e-mail at hallieb1@hotmail.com. v

School will be in SeSSion on TueSday, May 21ST as this day will be used as a make-up day. The last day of school will be Friday, May 31st. v

Summertime shouldn’t be hungry time. Just as learning doesn’t end when school lets out, neither does a child’s need for good nutrition. That’s why Jessamine County Schools will once again offer a Summer Food Service Program to provide free, nutritious meals to help local children get the nutrition they need to learn, play and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school. The program will begin on Monday, June 10th and will be offered through August 1st. Any child, 18 years of age and under, can participate in the program; there are no requirements to qualify and the child does not have to be enrolled in the school system. To find the times and locations for the food service program, visit the district website www.jessamine.kyschools.us and watch for flyers at the end of May. v

In the recent release of U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best High Schools for 2013, West Jessamine High School earned recognition as one of the nation’s top high schools! West Jessamine was ranked as the 8th best high school in Kentucky and was one of only 1,790 schools to earn a silver medal as U.S. News awarded 4,805 gold, silver and bronze medals to the top-performing schools in the country.

The 2013 rankings included data on more than 21,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia. To determine the national rankings, state assessment scores in reading and math as well as college readiness performance were analyzed. The performance of disadvantaged students was also factored in, and schools in which this population scored higher than the state average fared better in the assessment.

Jessamine Superintendent, Lu Young, stated, “I continue to be very proud of the work that our schools are doing to ratchet up academic expectations and ensure college readiness for ALL students. Congratulations to the students, families, teachers and staff of West Jessamine

High for this well-deserved recognition. The rest of our district celebrates along with West High as from the foundational years of early childhood education, through high school, and beyond, we are all working to ensure student success”. Noting that there is room for further improvement, Young continued, “While we realize that we still have a long way to go, this recognition affirms that we are headed in the right direction. It is a testament to the hard work of our students, teachers, staff and administrators, district-wide.” v

50 Years Strong

School Calendar Change!

Kids Can Eat for Free this Summer

West Jessamine High Earns National Recognition