“I want you to know that we see you, we care about you and we desperately need you.” That’s the message Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear brought to nearly 1,000 Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) administrators and educators Thursday. Beshear was the keynote speaker at the annual Superintendent’s Administrators Kick-Off at L and N Federal Credit Union Cardinal Stadium.
Beshear, whose own children attend public schools, thanked the JCPS principals, counselors, family resource center coordinators and other administrators who help educate JCPS’ 96,000 students each day. “I see a lot of tough people that are great at a tough job,” he said.
The governor also promised to keep pushing for better child care assistance and universal pre-K for Kentucky families while decrying political attacks on public education.
JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio thanked Beshear for his unwavering support of JCPS and public education while praising the employees in the room.
“We have the best administrative team in the nation,” Pollio said.
As they prepare for the start of the school year, Pollio encouraged the administrators to concentrate on three things: the Flywheel Effect, quality and passion. He described the Flywheel Effect as the ability to keep pushing hard on an issue to get turning and gaining momentum for successive turns.
“We’ve been pushing hard on the flywheel and we’ve begun to gain momentum to push through” with the positive changes JCPS has needed, Pollio said.
The administrators heard a quote from automaker Henry Ford - “Quality means doing it right when noone else is looking.” Pollio told them students and teachers recognize quality when they see and hear it and administrators should focus on quality interactions with them every day.
He also pushed them to bring passion to the job, including the days late in the school year when it may be tough. “Passion is contagious in your school and with your co-workers,” Pollio said. “The ability to fulfill our vision of teaching kids comes from passion and keeping that passion every single day.”
Pollio added “At JCPS, we are in a better position than ever before thanks to the people in this room.”
Jefferson County Board of Education members Dr. Corrie Shull and Linda also praised the JCPS employees and Pollio introduced school bus driver Larry Farrish as someone whose small gesture with one child will make a lifelong difference for that student. Farrish bought pajamas for an Engelhard Elementary School student who didn’t have any for the school’s Pajama Day. The story went viral and became a national news story.
Thirteen employees also received Administrator of the Year Awards, sponsored by the Jefferson County Association of School Administrators. The winners are:
School Support – Rob Fulk
High School YSC – Indigo Gibson
Middle School YSC – Sue Wagner
Elementary FRYSC – Carla Cosby
High School Counselor – Nicole Fields
Middle School Counselor – Aisha Walker
Elementary Counselor – Octavia West
High School Assistant Principal – Jeff Jennings
Middle School Assistant Principal – Ebony Booker
Elementary Assistant Principal – Gina Ziegler
High School Principal – Sheri Duff
Middle School Principal – Carolyn Smith
Elementary Principal – Bill Perkins
Click here to view more photos from the 2024 Administrators Kick-Off.