JCPS Van Hoose Generic (High-Res)

Jefferson County Public Schools Van Hoose Center (WDRB photo).

 Darius Bowie

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jefferson County Public Schools' Board of Education will meet Tuesday night to consider a number of items, including a permanent site to build an existing school, stipends for teachers at one middle school and more.

Permanent Site for Grace James Academy

Grace James Academy of Excellence opened in 2020 and since then has occupied two different temporary facilities, but JCPS has found a potential site to build a permanent home, pending board approval. 

Grace James is currently located at 1615 West Broadway in the Russell neighborhood, the former Roosevelt-Perry Elementary School. 

According to board notes provided for Tuesday's meeting, the district would like to purchase two parcels of land located at 5127 and 5500 Terry Road, in the PRP neighborhood.

The purchase agreement shows the two properties will cost the district just over $1 million.

A spokesperson for the district confirmed the site would be for Grace James.

JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio previously said its best practice to keep magnet schools in an urban core, however the issue becomes finding enough room for the new school.

The school teaches middle and high school female students and focuses on a STEAM curriculum.

"Grace James has a great mission behind it, and the fact that we've got a site now, I want to see that thing build as soon as possible," said JCPS board member Taylor Everett. 

The all-girl, K-12 STEM-focused school has been housed in an old building for the past five years.

Stipends for Hudson Middle School Teachers

Also on the table for consideration at Tuesday's meeting: providing teachers at Hudson Middle School an additional $7,000 stipend.

Hudson Middle School opened in the fall of 2023. It was the first middle school to open in west Louisville in 90 years.

Tuesday's agenda notes include a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Board of Education and Jefferson County Teachers Association. 

The MOA states, "in an effort to recruit, retain, and develop highly effective teachers in enhanced support schools,: it will enter into an agreement for Hudson Middle School for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school year.

The agreement lists four terms:

  1. Student enrollment will be capped 
  2. Require up to four additional meetings per month for professional development and/or Professional Learning Communities
  3. A yearly continuity stipend of $7,000 for teachers who remain active at Hudson the entire year, "to provide instructional continuity as the J. Blaine Hudson school community is established"
  4. Agreement is in effect for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years only

On the table for consideration at Tuesday's meeting: providing teachers at Hudson Middle School an additional $7,000 stipend.

Snow Day Makeup

The board will also consider amending this year's calendar.

Due to weather JCPS opted for snow days from Jan. 6 to Jan. 10.

The district is proposing the board forgive those days.

School was also canceled on Jan. 11, and the district is proposing May 23 as a make-up day. 

As for the two-hour delay on Jan. 13, board meeting notes said the Kentucky Department of Education will forgive the delay.

Discussion Over Start Times and School Cell Phone Policies

Also included on Tuesday's agenda are two work sessions. The first is to review and discuss research on start times. 

In November, the board voted to keep current start times in place. Schools currently start at 7:30 a.m., 8:40 a.m. or 9:40 a.m.

For decades, JCPS had just two start times. But due to transportation issues stemming from a bus driver shortage, the district changed its start times to nine different times for the 2023-2024 school year. The district then consolidated to the three current times starting this school year.

District officials said with the improvements this year, students are getting to school on time -- another reason why JCPS decided to keep school start times the same.

The board will also listen to a report and discuss school cell phone policies. 

Fern Creek High School has implemented a no-phone policy this school year. From 8:40 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., FCHS becomes a phone-free zone. However, students are allowed to sit at a designated table to use their phones at lunch.

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