1. education
2. school

Jefferson
County
Public
Schools
Volume 21, No. 2
October/November 2014
Visit the School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Web site at
www.jcpsky.net/programs/sbdm/index.html.
SBDM Councils Select New Principals
Carrithers Middle:
M. Denise Franklin-Williams
M. Denise Franklin-Williams
is honored to be the new
principal at Carrithers Middle
School, where they believe in
educational excellence in a
neighborhood setting. It is a
challenge that she embraces
and looks forward to every
day.
Before joining the Carrithers family, FranklinWilliams’ professional career consisted of
engaging educational opportunities. She started
her education journey at Seneca High School,
where she taught biology. While at Seneca, she
served on the School-Based Decision Making
(SBDM) Council, served on budget and interview
committees, sponsored the dance team, and created Seneca High School’s first step team. After
seven years of teaching, she moved into school
administration as the sixth-grade dean at Western
Middle School. From there, she became an assistant principal at Johnson Traditional Middle
School, where she started the Jaguar of the Week
Program. In 2011, she journeyed to Carrithers
Middle School, where she has been an assistant
principal for the past three years.
Franklin-Williams explains, “At every school, my
focus is always the same—working to ensure the
safety, growth, and educational progress of each
student. My greatest initiative is to provide leadership that will continue to facilitate a safe and
learning-rich environment. I want our students
to feel empowered to reach their full potential to
achieve their dreams now and in the future.”
Franklin-Williams feels that the SBDM Council
provides the school with leadership and decisions
that are tailored to meet the specific needs of the
students at Carrithers. The SBDM Council allows
collaboration between school staff and parents,
thus empowering stakeholders to work together
and to ensure that students always come first.
Franklin-Williams is married (24 years) and has
three children. Her son, Trey, is 18 years old and
will be a freshman at the University of Louisville (UofL) in the fall. Her daughter, Taylor, is a
senior at Eastern High School, and her youngest, Jordan, is in the first grade at Greathouse/
www.jcpsky.net
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
Shryock Traditional Elementary. She is an active
member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Franklin-Williams earned both her bachelor’s
and master’s degrees at UofL. She earned her
administration degree and Rank 1 at Western
Kentucky University (WKU) and is currently
working on her doctorate degree, focusing on
parent involvement/engagement on the middle
school level.
Cochrane Elementary:
Jason Hobbs
Jason Hobbs is honored
to serve the Jeffersontown
community as the principal
at Cochrane Elementary. He
looks forward to working
with students, parents, and
staff to continue building a
great neighborhood school at
Cochrane Elementary. He believes that family
and community involvement, combined with a
positive school learning environment, relationships, and activities, are critical to the success of
every child.
Hobbs believes that working with the SBDM
Council to build the foundation for maximized
student achievement is an essential element to
building the success of the school. He looks
forward to working with the staff and families of
the Cochrane Elementary community to increase
student learning and create higher-level learning
experiences based on the needs of the individual
student.
Hobbs earned a baseball scholarship to UofL
where he earned his bachelor of arts in English,
master of secondary education, and specialist in
education degrees. After teaching language arts
for 16 years at various levels, Hobbs served as
the assistant principal at Sanders Elementary for
two years.
Hobbs values his faith and spending time with
his wife, Christiana; 3-year-old son, Evan; and
1-year-old son, Noah.
King Elementary School:
Stephanie White
Stephanie White is elated to
be the new principal at King
Elementary School. “I’m
honored to have been selected
by the SBDM Council to
lead King. I wish to thank all
members of the committee
for their commitment to our
Continued on page two
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Bylaws Updates for 2014-15
The fall is a great time to review your council bylaws and to take into consideration any
potential changes based on school needs as well
as changes in legislation and/or Jefferson County
Board of Education (JCBE) policies. Two suggested revisions for the 2014-15 school year are
in the areas of open/closed meetings and appeals:
the public safety by exposing a
vulnerability in preventing, protecting against,
mitigating, or responding to a terrorist act.” This
would include the review of the school’s emergency plan. The Council must reconvene in open
session to make a decision on an issue.
Open/Closed Meetings
Appeals
All SBDM Council meetings at Sample School
shall be open to the public. The SBDM Council
may go into closed session from the open meeting under the following circumstances: to discuss
proposed or pending litigation by or against
the SBDM Council and to discuss candidates
for vacancies. Additionally, KRS 61.878 (1) (m)
exempts from Open Records “those records the
disclosure of which would have a reasonable like-
Any resident of the district or a parent, student,
or employee of the school may appeal council
decisions through the process established by Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) policy
02.42411 (Appeal of Decisions [SBDM]).
SBDM Councils Select New Principals
Continued from page one
school and their diligence in providing guidance
for our students, staff, and instructional program.”
White added, “King Elementary is filled with
amazing students with loving and supportive families who expect the best for their children. Our
caring staff ensures the safety and achievement
for every student in our building, and together, we
will assist our students in achieving greatness in
academics and social-emotional growth. I look
forward to our growth as we strive to be the best
elementary school in the country.”
White is a native of Louisville and graduate of
Butler Traditional High School. She received her
undergraduate degree from UofL and later pursued a teaching certificate through the Alternative
Certification Elementary and Secondary (ACES)
Program. For the next five years, White taught
English/language arts at Highland Middle School,
serving in various leadership capacities. Obtaining a master’s degree and leadership license
from Indiana University Southeast (IUS), White
became an assistant principal at Highland, serving students, families, and staff for the past three
years. Currently, White is also pursuing a Ph.D.
in education and social change from Bellarmine
University. She pursued the education field to help
change the world. Her goal is to have an impact
on students so that they are aware of their power
of choice and their ability to navigate resources
and make other choices in the face of failure.
Okolona Elementary:
Karen Stearman
Karen Stearman has enjoyed
working for the Jefferson
County Public School (JCPS)
district for the past 24 years
as a classroom teacher, Early
Childhood resource teacher,
counselor, principal intern,
and assistant principal. Having held various positions
in the district, she has demonstrated her ability
to work with diverse populations. Now, as the
principal of Okolona Elementary, she is eager to
serve Okolona’s students, parents, staff, and the
community. It is her aspiration to continue with
the great reputation already in place at Okolona
by collaborating with all stakeholders to support
and lead a high-quality educational program for
all students.
As an administrator, Stearman believes classroom
management and cooperation evolve when teachers and students develop relationships of mutual
respect. It is her goal to model these attributes
in her daily interactions with students and staff.
Communication, accessibility, and responsiveness
are characteristics that will guide her each day.
She looks forward to being the chairperson of the
SBDM Council. This affords her the opportunity
to work collaboratively with teachers and parents,
2
to develop policies, and to make school decisions that ultimately have an impact on student
achievement. This can be accomplished through
teamwork and collaborating with each other. She
believes the ultimate goal of education is to teach
students to use their minds well and be productive members of society.
Stearman is a native of Louisville, graduating
from Doss High School in 1985. She continued her education at UofL, earning her B.S. in
elementary education, a master’s degree in early
childhood education (Birth–5), another master’s
degree in school guidance, and finally a Principal Certificate. She is truly a lifelong learner.
Stearman has been married for 22 years to Erik
and has four children (Lauren, 20; Katelyn, 16;
Branden, 12; and Madelyn, 7) and a dog. They
also have a Boxer named Rock. Stearman explains, “We are a very busy family and meet each
other coming and going a lot of days; however,
my husband and I have instilled morals, values,
and a work ethic into our children. They have
seen this firsthand throughout my career with
JCPS.”
Pleasure Ridge Park High School:
Kim Salyer
Over the past 21 years, Kim
Salyer has been a math
teacher at Pleasure Ridge
Park (PRP) High School,
a counselor at Valley High
School and PRP, and an assistant principal at PRP. She
is a native of Louisville and a
product of JCPS. She graduated from Doss High School and attended WKU
for her undergraduate and counseling graduate
work and IUS for her principal certification
graduate work.
Salyer is a very proud parent of two sons,
Kameron and Kyle. She explains, “They fill my
life with joy and remind me every day what a
great responsibility we have to educate and lead
all of our students to be successful, productive
members of our community.”
Salyer is honored to have been chosen by PRP’s
SBDM Council to be principal. They have common goals and are committed to maintaining
and building on the strong traditions and positive
culture already at PRP. The focus and the heart
of their decision making is built around what is
best for all of students. They value collaboration
and providing a place where all students can find
their way in the world and achieve at their highest levels.
Roosevelt-Perry Elementary:
Nichole Marshall
Nichole Marshall is proud
and honored to be selected
by the SBDM Council as the
principal of Roosevelt-Perry
Elementary. She possesses
more than 15 years of educational experience, teaching
from the second through the
fifth grades, instructional
coaching, and being an assistant principal. She is
elated to work closely with the SBDM Council,
parents, faculty, and community partners in order
to ensure the success of Roosevelt-Perry Elementary students.
Marshall received her undergraduate degree at
Spaulding University and her graduate degree
at WKU. Since 1999, she has served in public
education in Kentucky in many capacities. Her
first experience was as a classroom teacher at
Atkinson Elementary in Jefferson County, where
she had the pleasure of teaching at both the
primary and intermediate levels.
In 2004, she moved to Hardin County Public
Schools and accepted a position as a curriculum/instruction/assessment (CIA) specialist
and Gifted and Talented resource teacher at
Parkway Elementary. While in Hardin County,
she also served as the assistant principal of G.
C. Burkhead Elementary. In 2008, she returned
to Jefferson County in a position as the instructional coach at Cochran Elementary. In 2010,
she became the school-based instructional coach
at Rutherford Elementary. Since July of 2012,
she became the assistant principal at Rutherford
Elementary.
When Marshall is not working, she enjoys
spending time with her husband Kenneth, who
is a fifth-grade teacher at McFerran Preparatory Academy; her three children (Isaac, Arika,
and Kendyll); and all of her many family and
friends. She added, “I would like to thank the
SBDM Council of Roosevelt-Perry for selecting
me as their principal. I look forward to working
to ensure the success of all students at RooseveltPerry.”
Continued on page three
Online Training
Instructions
Online training is currently available for experienced council members only. New council
members are not eligible to complete this
training. For information about these trainings, please go to the JCPS SBDM Web site at
www.jcpsky.net/programs/sbdm
/onlinetraining.html.
SBDM Connections
SBDM Councils Select
New Principals
Continued from page two
Shacklette Elementary: Kevin Garner
Kevin Garner is a Kentucky transplant from Waycross,
Georgia. Over the last 16 years, he has worked for JCPS
serving as a self-contained Emotional-Behavioral Disability (EBD) teacher at Kerrick Elementary. He served
at the teacher-learner collaborator (TLC) at both Foster
Traditional Academy and Portland Elementary School
and as assistant principal at Shacklette Elementary.
Garner is excited to be selected as the principal at Shacklette. There, he works closely with the SBDM to ensure that all students
receive a fair and equitable education each day. The hiring committee at
Shacklette was looking for a candidate who put students first, with a commitment to high student achievement. At Shacklette, each member of the
SBDM is determined to make Shacklette the number one school in JCPS.
He is very happy to be a part of this outstanding team and school. As the
school continues to build its PTA, Garner’s goal is to ensure that Shacklette
continues to strengthen parental involvement through student-focused programs that will promote school pride and student growth.
Garner and his spouse, Merrell, are happy to be the proud owners of a poodle named Roxy. Garner is currently in year two of the Urban Leadership/
JCPS project, where he is working on his doctorate in Urban Leadership. As
a leader, he is committed to changing the lives of each student by ensuring
that he and his staff lead by example and build relationships with students.
Garner received his undergraduate degree from UofL in Pan-African studies, his M.A.T. from Bellarmine University, and his administration certification from both WKU and Spalding University. He is a lifelong learner who
believes that knowledge is power. As a leader, he is determined to build
positive relationships with students and families.
Suggested Agenda Items for
October and November
The following items are recommended for inclusion in every agenda: Approval of agenda for the meeting and approval of minutes from the previous
meeting, staffing (consultation must be reflected in the council minutes) and
committee reports.
October
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oct. 1—Gap Diagnostic Report due in ASSIST
Schools should begin to develop a tentative plan for 2014–Dec. 2015.
Schools should align goals with the state accountability system areas.
Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) activities should include
strategies to address SB168 requirements (all schools), No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) waiver requirements (priority and focus schools), and
SIG strategies (SIG Schools: cohort 1–3).
Oct. 20—Schools submit Safe Schools Report data to the JCPS Safety
and Environmental Services Department.
The principal provides a Student Achievement Report.
Program Review Report
Emergency Plan approved
November
• Nov. 1—2014-15 Safe Schools Report (district level) due in ASSIST
(SB8/HB 354)
• Begin a review of the following policies*:
— Budget
— Instructional materials
— Professional development (PD)
*Activities that occur every two years
October/November 2014
SBDM Training Opportunities
for the 2014-15 School Year
October Trainings
Introduction to SBDM,
Parts I and II
Monday and Tuesday, October 20
and 21, 2014
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room A
Facilitator: Shawna Stenton
Bylaws and Policies
Monday, October 20, 2014
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room B
Facilitator: Carol Bartlett
November Training
Introduction to SBDM, Parts I and II
(Parent-Only Session)
Friday, November 14, 2014
9 a.m.–4 p.m., Flex Room A
Facilitator: Shawna Stenton
December Trainings
Introduction to SBDM,
Parts I and II
Tuesday and Wednesday, December 9 and 10, 2014
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room A
Facilitator: Shawna Stenton
Closing the Achievement Gap
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room B
Facilitator: Arlisa Brown
January Trainings
Introduction to SBDM,
Parts I and II
Wednesday and Thursday,
January 28 and 29, 2015
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room A
Facilitator: Shawna Stenton
School Councils and Budgets
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
4:30–7:30 p.m., Flex Room B
Facilitator: John Collopy
March Training
Introduction to SBDM, Parts I and II
Saturday, March 21, 2015
9 a.m.–4 p.m., Flex Room A
Facilitator: Shawna Stenton
• New council members are required to complete a minimum of six hours
of introductory SBDM training. Members who have SBDM experience
and have completed the initial six hours of training are required to complete at least three additional hours of training a year.
• All sessions are held at Gheens Academy (4425 Preston Highway, Louisville, KY 40213). JCPS employees should register using pdCentral. Parent
representatives may contact Monica Meredith at 485-3059 or monica
.meredith @jefferson.kyschools.us to register.
• District Policy: If school is canceled or early dismissal is necessary, all
professional-development (PD) sessions will be canceled.
Reminder: Parent Council
Members Must Be Fingerprinted
All parent SBDM members are legally required to have a fingerprintsupported criminal history check. This process only takes about ten
minutes and can be done in Room 109 of VanHoose Education Center,
3332 Newburg Road, between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., Monday through
Friday. If you completed your fingerprinting last year and have been reelected to another term this year, you are not required to be fingerprinted
again. However, if there is a break in your time on the council, you must
be fingerprinted again.
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Jefferson County Public Schools
P.O. Box 34020
Louisville, KY 40232-4020
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Louisville, KY
Permit No. 879
Instructional Materials and Your SBDM Council
By Paul Lanata, Ed.D.
Director of Library Media Services and District Textbook Coordinator
Textbooks have been a mainstay in K–12 classrooms for generations. New
to the classroom scene are digital tablets, such as the iPad, that are changing
the way instructional content is accessed and used. For success in learning,
students need a number of different types of opportunities to interact with
all types of instructional resources aligned to the Kentucky Core Academic
Standards (KCAS).
Principals, teachers, students, parents, and SBDM Councils all have a role
to play in guaranteeing that sufficient instructional resources are available
for students at their school. Principals help the community understand the
variety of instructional resources now available in schools. Teachers make
sure that all students in the class have access to the materials they need by
notifying leadership of insufficiencies. Students use instructional materials for learning. Parents assume responsibility for the safe return of loaned
instructional resources. SBDM Councils have the tough job of budgeting,
selecting, and monitoring availability of instructional resources within their
school.
It is important that all students in a school are subject to the same rules
and guidelines regarding the use of instructional materials provided by the
school. Having an up-to-date instructional materials policy in place for your
school helps settle disputes, informs future council members, facilitates decision making, and communicates to stakeholders. To help SBDM Councils,
a sample policy has been developed: #19 Selection of Instructional Materials
and Student Access to Instructional Resources (Textbooks). This sample
policy is available at www.jcpsky.net/Programs/SBDM
/CouncilResources.html.
As your council discusses a revision to your instructional materials policy,
conversation about homework, budget, students with disabilities, and
English Language Learners (ELLs) will undoubtedly occur. It may be helpful to think about your Textbook Plan for your funding allocation and the
Textbook and Instructional Materials Inventory as it relates to your CSIP
and how it reflects your school’s efforts to meet the KCAS learning needs of
all students at your school.
If you have any questions related to instructional materials or need further
assistance to support your council’s efforts to provide the best instructional
resources for your students, please e-mail Paul Lanata at paul.lanata
@jefferson.kyschools.us.
The SBDM Connections newsletter is published for members of JCPS
SBDM Councils. SBDM Connections is distributed to all SBDM Council
members. This publication serves as a link between the district and the
SBDM Councils.
As questions arise and new information becomes available, SBDM
Connections will respond to questions, relay information, and clarify the
significance of such information to the work of SBDM Councils.
If you have a subject or issue that you would like to have addressed in
this publication, please contact Dr. Shawna Stenton by phone at 485-3056
or by e-mail at [email protected].
For more information about JCPS, call the district’s FactLine at 4853228 or log on to the JCPS homepage at www.jcpsky.net.