LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Jefferson County Public Schools named Chancey Elementary Principal Ronda Cosby as the first leader of its new academy for females of color Wednesday, as the school prepares to open next year.
Cosby, who has been Chancey Elementary’s principal since 2006, will begin working for the still unnamed academy once her replacement has been named at Chancey, JCPS said in a news release.
The new school, approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education on Aug. 27, will focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics and feature an Afrocentric and gender-specific curriculum for its female students. The first class of about 150 sixth-grade students will begin at the school in the 2020-21, with seventh- and eighth-grade classes added in subsequent years.
Cosby, who received a Hilliard Lyons Excellence Award in April 2018 for her work as a principal, said her new role presented “an extraordinary opportunity.”
“In my roles at JCPS, I’ve advocated and spoken out for those who have felt like they didn’t have a voice,” she said in a statement. “Implementing this curriculum will inspire and instill a strong sense of identity that had been missing in some classrooms. I will create an inclusive learning environment that recognizes the contributions of those who had been left out of our history lessons.”
JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio called Cosby “a visionary with a focus on innovative instruction and improving students’ sense of belonging.”
“Her passion and commitment to students have been evident in her years with the district and we know she is the right person to lead this work that will create engaging opportunities for our students,” Pollio said in a statement.
Cosby has worked at JCPS for 27 years, previously serving as an assistant principal, counselor and teacher, according to the district's news release.
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