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Here is the lastest, most up-to-date information from the JCTA, KEA and NEA offices. To read our Action newsletter, just click on the tab at the top. |
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2020 District Evaluation Appeals Panels Candidates
JCPS educators in the JCTA bargaining unit will have the opportunity to vote for two candidates to serve on the District Evaluation Appeals Panels (DEAP). The election will be held online October 14-21, 2020. Below are the candidates along with their optional statement (Limited to 50 words.)
Tim Amshoff, Marion C Moore School. I am a teacher with 24 years' experience, 11 of those have been at Moore. I have had time at Iroquois High, Fern Creek High, Central High and did practice teaching at Blue Lick Elementary and Iroquois Middle. As a respected teacher in JCPS, I have served on SBDM at . . . .
Beverly Chester-Burton, , Ed.S. Waller-Williams. I have served on various JCTA, KEA and NEA boards. As a member of the JCPS EQOC committee, I am familiar with processes of the DEAP committee. I will ensure that fair and equitable processes are in place for all educators. Your vote will be appreciated. #YOURVOTEYOURVOICE
La Donna Johnson, Jacob Elementary. My name is La Donna Johnson and I’m a teacher at Jacob Elementary. I’m writing to submit myself as a candidate for the DEAP position. I am confident that my experience in my career has adequately prepared me to thrive in a position of advocating for others. I am an . . .
Marvin Lazaro, Crums Lane Elementary.
Hannah Lipman, Newburg Middle. I am strongly invested in JCPS teachers. I value educational professionalism and the commitment to equitable education for ALL students.
Jo McKim, Camp Edwards. I am a deeper learning resource teacher, and I have served on the Educator Quality Oversight Committee (EQOC). Having served on EQOC, I have a strong foundational knowledge of the evaluation system and the importance of the DEAP process. I would be honored to serve as a teacher member of . . . .
Apryl Moore, MTSS Behavior Resource Teacher. I ask for your vote. I take the Evaluation Appeals Process seriously and understand the role of the District Evaluation Appeals Panel (DEAP). I ask for your vote and look forward to serving honorably on the DEAP for the next three years.
Linda Murphy, Trunnell Elementary. I have been a JCTA member for over 20 years and a building PR for most of those years. I believe that I can be a valuable member of the DEAP team because I strive to keep an open mind and to be fair and balanced in my decision making.
George I Nichols Jr, Iroquois High. CTE Teacher. Building Rep. I will proudly serve on this panel if selected. I will represent and advocate for the good of our Union and it’s members.
David Pepper, The Academy at Shawnee. I would love to serve on the DEAP panel to continue to support teachers and the profession.
Katlyn Raderstorf, Carter Traditional Elementary. This is my 14th year as an elementary teacher in JCPS and member of JCTA. I have served on the JCTA Board of directors for three years during that time. I am passionate about public education and our teacher's union. I would appreciate your vote for the District Evaluation Appeals . . . .
Tierra Ross, Western Middle.
Causandra Stratton, Rutherford Elementary. Hello. My name is Causandra Stratton. I have prevously served on the DEAP committee. I welcome the opportunity to represent and serve teachers for another term. I would greatly appreciate your vote.
Harsh Upadhyay, Seneca High. My name is Harsh Upadhyay and I am a third-generation mathematics teacher. I currently teach at Seneca HS and have the experience of serving as JCTA PR and JCTA Board Member. I would be honored to serve, if elected.
Sharon VanCleave, Ed.S. Rangeland Elementary. My desire to serve as your DEAP representative comes from my experience and understanding of the rewards and challenges of being an educator. I will use my vast experience with SBDM, JCTA Board of Directors, and knowledge of Instructional Leadership to ensure that every teacher has a fair hearing.
Tyra Walker, Roosevelt-Perry Elementary. My name is Tyra Walker, your JCTA Secretary and ECE Teacher. I’m running for the District Evaluation Appeal Panel (DEAP). I want to be a voice for educators/teachers to ensure a fair process of your appeals. Vote for me Tyra Walker to be your voice as your DEAP representative.
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GENERAL ELECTION INFORMATION:
In order to ensure the health and safety of all voters, the 2020 General Election will be conducted in a different manner than past elections. After much discussion and careful consideration, the Jefferson County Clerk's Office and Board of Elections have decided upon four (4) vote centers, located throughout the county, to serve as polling places both before and on Election Day. The Kentucky Exposition Center; the KFC YUM Center; the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage; and a fourth location in the east end of Louisville that is still under contract negotiations, will all be available for early voting starting October 13th. These four locations, along with four (4) additional school locations, will be available on Election Day.
The in-person voting centers were selected because of their locality, adequate parking, and square footage. Voters and election officers will be able to practice social distancing, and lines can form inside the facility (in case of any inclement weather). In accordance with CDC, State, and Metro guidelines, all voters will be required to wear masks to protect election officers, fellow voters, and themselves. Depending on standards established by the facility where you choose to vote, additional requirements may be stipulated. For example, at the KFC YUM Center, voters will need to submit to a temperature check. We ask that firearms be kept outside of all polling locations.
For voters who have secured a mail-in absentee ballot through the State Board of Elections portal, and who choose not to drop their ballots in the USPS mail boxes, they may use the absentee ballot dropoff boxes; locations are listed on this flyer.
We are pleased to announce that TARC will offer free rides county-wide on Election Day. Also, they will provide shuttles that go directly to the Kentucky Expo Center (on November 3rd). These shuttles will leave from the 10th & Broadway Union Station location.
FIND OUT MORE BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK: http://elections.jeffersoncountyclerk.org/pdfs/2020_general_election_info.pdf |
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Due to the global health pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Kentucky's general election will be conducted in a way that allows Kentuckians to protect their health as announced by Governor Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams on Friday, August 14. Some details are still in development, but here is what we know for now: Election Day:
· The 2020 General Election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
· Polls open at 6am and close at 6pm.
· Remember: If you are in line and the polls close, you are still able to cast your ballot.
· For in-person voting, county election officials will decide election sites for Election Day, but every county will have at least one voting super-center, where everyone from the county can go to vote, regardless of his or her precinct.
· Precinct voting locations might be different from the last time you voted.
Voter Registration:
· You can verify your registration by going to govoteky.com. · You may register to vote in Kentucky as a 17-year-old if you will be 18 years old by the General Election on November 3, 2020.
Absentee Voting by Mail:
· Kentuckians concerned with contracting or spreading COVID-19 can request a ballot by mail. You can request an absentee ballot through the portal at govoteky.com but you must do so by Friday, October 9. · The portal is now open to pre-apply for an absentee ballot, but the ballots are currently being printed and will be mailed when ready. Mailing will begin in mid to late September.
· Ballots must be postmarked by November 3, 2020 and received by November 6, 2020. Drop boxes will be available for Kentuckians to return their mail ballots if they are concerned about postal delays. County clerks will determine these locations.
In-Person Early Voting:
· Every county clerk will provide a location for safe in-person voting beginning three weeks before the election. These locations will be open every work day between October 13 and Election Day as well as every Saturday for at least four hours.
· You can vote early for any reason.
Identification:
· Effective July 15, 2020 all voters in Kentucky are required to present a photo ID in order to cast their ballot in any election.
· Kentuckians who were unable to get a driver’s license or photo ID due to the pandemic because their clerk’s office was closed, or because they were afraid of exposing themselves to the coronavirus, can sign a document explaining this concern and cast their ballot.
· Further information regarding valid forms of ID may be found here. Have questions about voting? Contact the Kentucky State Board of Elections at 502-573-7100.
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Completely online MAED in STEAM Education
Only $410 per credit hour!
Bellarmine University Online MAED Teacher Leadership: STEAM Education Program
Check out the Master of Arts in Education Teacher Leadership: STEAM Education program at Bellarmine University. You can begin the degree in summer 2021 and be ready for the fall with STEAM lessons and units that will inspire your students virtually or on site. If you already have your graduate degree, you can just take the 4 STEAM cognate courses as a non-degree and begin in any semester.
Program at a Glance:
- 30 credit hour Master's program beginning each Summer
- Completes in four semesters
- Four cognate courses focusing on instructional design, pedagogy, assessment and professional leadership = 12 credit hours.
- Option to begin cognate courses as a non-degree in any semester!
- Rolling application deadlines.
- No GRE exam required
- 100% online and asynchronous
- $410 per credit hour
Career Pathways:
- STEAM Teacher
- Makerspace Educator
- Informal Educator
- Curriculum Coordinator/Specialist
- Curriculum Developer
- Engineering Teacher
- Instructional Coach (with full Teacher Leader MAED)
I work with students throughout the application and admission process and would be happy to schedule a phone call or virtual appointment to discuss the program further with you! Contact me: Sarah SchubleCheck out our video on Youtube!
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JCPS is holding special sessions for the next two weeks (August 10-21) focused on the district recommended resources and tools for NTI 2.0.
- You can find the menu here. Tabs across the bottom will take you to the two different weeks’ schedules.
- These can be viewed LIVE on the JCPS Digital Learning Channel and/or can be watched later, on demand.
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PBL CAP Announcement and Invitation to Apply 20-21 Cohort 2
Calling all PBL enthusiasts! JCPS is excited to partner with Magnify Learning to offer a second cohort of the PBL Certification Acceleration Program during the 2020-21 school year.
Teacher participants will begin training this summer by attending a multi day workshop to be held virtually on the following dates:
- Launch Day 1: August 21 (Flex Day) 8-5pm
- Launch Day 2: August 22 (Saturday) 8-3pm
- Launch Day 3: August 31 (Monday) 5-7 pm
*Teachers may receive PD credit or district stipend for this time.
Participants will then have sustained coaching and support, via 8 virtual/in-person coaching days throughout the school year, to be held on Saturdays. Teachers will be paid district stipend for attendance of these days. Upon graduation from the program, teachers will earn both a certification in PBL and have the option of training others. This will allow our district to build capacity by training our own homegrown PBL coaches, complete with nationally recognized certifications.
HOW TO REGISTER:
PROCESS OF SELECTION:
- A review team will then populate the class on PD Central using considerations such as equity, diversity, alignment to professional goals, and Principal endorsements.
- We will notify accepted teachers on August 14, 2020.
QUESTIONS?
- Please forward all questions regarding this opportunity to:
- Susan Price (susan.price@jefferson.kyschools.us)
- Irma Bektic (irma.bektic@jefferson.kyschools.us)
- Maddie Shepard (Maddie.shepard@jefferson.kyschools.us)
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The school district has created several committees that are exploring and planning for the opening of school in the fall and JCTA has many leaders representing our members on these committees.
If you have thoughts, concerns, questions to raise, or other input on a specific issue, here is a list of your representatives with whom you can communicate:
JCTA Representatives on JCPS Back to School Planning Groups
Category 1 - In-Person (Brick and Mortar) Return to School Planning
- Elementary – Crystal Puryear, Tamara Patterson, Elana Crane (JCTA UD)
- Middle – Natalie Rashad, Shelley Brown, Antonia Lindauer (JCTA UD
- High – Emilie Blanton, Cassie Lyles
Category 2 - Virtual Academy Planning (for when school is open for in-person learning, but some students choose not to return to in-person learning)
- Coordinating Committee – Jo McKim
- Curriculum & Instruction
- Elementary – Maddie Shepard, Katie Cohen (SLP)
- Middle – Terrilyn Fleming
- High - Harsh Upadhyay, Kathryn Kingsbury (JCHS)
- Elementary – Stephanie Cook, Dawn Moretz (JCTA UD)
- Middle – Sara Downs, Chanda Hornback (JCTA UD)
- High – Matthew Kaufmann, Andrew Bailey (JCTA UD)
- Elementary – Jackie Mayfield, Carol Peace
- Middle – Alan Young
- High – Erica Grossberg, Ryan Davis
- Support Systems (SEL, MHP, Behavior, etcetera)
- Elementary – Tyra Walker, Sarah Ridley (MHP – Frayser Elem)
- Middle – Cathy Gunn
- High – Aletha Fields, Kumar Rashad
Category 3 – NTI Planning (for if school is closed for all students in a school or the entire district)
- Coordinating Committee – Jo McKim
- Elementary – Laura Herder, Kristin Logsdon
- Middle – Katie Punsly, Jo McKim
- High – Tammy Berlin, Stephen Johnson
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The Jefferson County Teachers Association Calls Upon the Louisville Mayor and the Jefferson County Metro Council
As the professional representative organization for almost 6,000 educators in the Jefferson County Public Schools who have dedicated their careers to creating a better future for the young people of our community, the Jefferson County Teachers Association recognizes that the safety and well-being of our students depends on a positive, trusting relationship between the community and our law enforcement agencies. Recent events make it clear such a relationship does not exist and cannot exist until the community comes together to make much needed changes.
Therefore, the Jefferson County Teachers Association calls upon the Mayor and the Metro Council to convene a broad-based panel of stakeholders, with significant representation by people of color in our community, to review the policies, practices, and other factors impacting the relationship between law enforcement and the community. The panel should be empowered to make recommendations to the Mayor, the Metro Council, and other appropriate entities. Issues to be considered could include the appropriate and inappropriate use of force, the execution of warrants, pursuit policies, community policing, crowd control safety protocols, the establishment of an ongoing Civilian Community Police Accountability Council as called for by the Taylor family, public transparency and accountability of our law enforcement agencies, the tracking and reporting of disaggregated law enforcement equity data, opportunities for ongoing community input on law enforcement practices, the monitoring of law enforcement’s responses to community input, and ongoing police training in such areas as conflict de-escalation strategies, implicit bias, and factors leading to institutional racism. |
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JCTA Public Statement on Recent Protests:
The Jefferson County Teachers Association stands in solidarity with people of color and those in our community, and across the nation, who are peacefully protesting in support of justice for the families of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and other people of color who have lost their lives at the hands of those who should be protecting them from harm. JCTA adds its voice to the call for immediate concrete steps to address structural and institutional racism in our communities, including our law enforcement agencies, our systems of education, neighborhood resources, economic opportunities, and our legal system. JCTA affirms its belief in the democratic rights of citizens to organize and demonstrate for change and condemns the use of violence on all sides during such demonstrations. As educators, we know that students cannot learn if they live in a constant state of fear for themselves, their family members, and their friends and neighbors, and we understand that our belief that every student can learn is undermined when young people are forced to live with fear, inequity, and bigotry.
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Your help is CRITICAL to see JCPS gets the funding it needs!
On Thursday, May 21st, the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) took a significant step towards investing in Kentucky's largest school system. Board members say the action taken at Thursday's special meeting allows for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) to create educational equity for all students, build new facilities and further support teachers.
The latest move by the board includes the approval of a plan that will generate more than $50 million a year for the district. The money would replace the $52.5 million in state funding that was reallocated since 2015 to other districts as a part of Kentucky's funding formula for schools.
JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio presented his vision for the district and how the resources could be used. Right now the district has more than a billion dollars in unmet facility needs. The additional funds will also give JCPS the capacity to renovate and build new state-of-the-art facilities that board members say will help enhance instruction.
The funds could also help create a smooth transition to proposed changes in the student assignment plan. A part of the proposed changes include giving students in West Louisville an option to attend school close to home or travel outside their community. In order to do this, it would require the construction of two new middle schools ($64 million) and a new high school ($74 million) in West Louisville.
The additional revenue would also give JCPS the opportunity to:
- renovate four new magnet schools (est. $68 million);
- double the amount of school renovations per year ($50 million);
- Increase annual facility improvements ($12 million);
- renovate high school athletic facilities ($25 million);
- significantly improve educator pay to attract and keep the best teachers
- extend instructional time;
- and enhance leadership development.
It is urgent that JCTA members encourage their family and neighbors to support this initiative to help the students and schools of JCPS. Share the info on your personal website or Facebook page and in your neighborhood app/website/Facebook page and ask others to do the same. Remember the following as you are sharing:
- Currently, JCPS has a lower property tax rate than many surrounding counties and the district had not explored any other options for additional revenue in the past. JCBE members authorized a property tax increase of 7 cents bringing the total tax rate to 80.6 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. For a homeowner, that equals a $70 increase on taxes for a home assessed at $100,000.
- Jefferson County Public Schools is not receiving the same amount of funds as we did in previous years. Since 2015, $52.5 million in revenue from the state has shifted to other districts. The responsibility and burden of making up this difference rests with us.
- JCPS has more than a billion dollars in facility needs and has more than 30 buildings that have end of life HVAC systems. The last high school was built 50 years ago and that was Ballard High School where the football stadium was condemned in 2019 because it was no longer structurally sound. Having innovative spaces that lead to forward thinking curriculum will only help our students better prepare for jobs of the future and continue to make Louisville the economic engine for the state and the region. Fayette County has built 5 new schools and renovated 21 of their schools in the past 12 years.
- We must ensure there is educational equity for all students and close the opportunity gap. In order to do this we need additional resources for technology and increased instructional time to ensure our students have the tools to succeed.
- The impact on a homeowner with a $200,000 home is only about 38 cents per day.
- When taxpayers invest in improving their neighborhood schools, they invest in improving their own property values. This is a win-win for everyone!
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2020 PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS
Be sure to Vote in the 2020 Kentucky Primary Election
Primary Election Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Click Here to Register to Vote
The deadline to register online to vote in the 2020 Primary Election is May 26, 2020 no later than 4:00 p.m. local time.
Contact your County Clerk’s office to apply for your Absentee Ballot Due to Medical Emergency/COVID 19
You must request an Application for a Mail-in Absentee Ballot prior to receiving an actual Absentee Ballot.
Jefferson County Clerk Deadline is June 15, 2020 no later than 11:59 p.m. local time. (click here)
Other Counties should contact their County Clerk’s office for details & deadlines.
KENTUCKY SENATE
KENTUCKY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL
Click Here to print
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EdDPrograms.org Offers Doctorate Opportunities
EdDPrograms.org is owned and operated by a group that has been creating post-secondary education resources since 2008. This organization's work in teacher education began with projects ranging from a new teacher survival guide to their own teacher education scholarship program. They are now focused on supporting Doctor of Education (EdD) students through their new project, EdDPrograms.org. Here are some helpful links for Doctoral students:
- A detailed overview of the most affordable online Ed.D. programs - https://www.eddprograms.org/schools/affordable-online-doctor-of-education-programs/
- A comprehensive guide to Ed.D. programs in Kentucky - https://www.eddprograms.org/schools/kentucky/
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The JCPS Culture and Climate Department has created many resources to not only help students, but also staff and parents. Here they are in a quick and easy, one-stop-shop: a variety of resources all bundled together!
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