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Louisville Metro Council Health and Education Committee Chair Angela Leet (District 7) and Vice Chair Vicki Welch (District 13) invite the community to attend one of three town hall meetings on the topic of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Each town hall meeting will be held in a different part of the community, with the first town hall starting Monday, February 19 at 6:00pm. Each town hall will start with presentations by panelists both in support and opposition to a resolution calling for the legalization of medical marijuana which is currently being considered by the Louisville Metro Council.
Persons attending the town hall meeting will have the opportunity to ask questions of panelists following opening remarks. Each town hall is expected to last 60-90 minutes and comments received during each event will be given to all members of the Louisville Metro Council.
Town Hall Meeting Dates:
Monday, February 19, 6:00PM – Lyndon City Hall (515 Wood Road)
Monday, February 26, 6:00PM – Louisville Fire Fighters Hall (400 Bakers Lane)
Tuesday, February 27, 6:00PM – Southwick Community Center (3621 Southern Avenue)
For more information on these town hall meetings, please contact Councilwoman Angela Leet at 574-1107 or angela.leet@louisvilleky.gov. https://louisville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3335601&GUID=5…
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Louisville Parks and Recreation will be hosting a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13 at the Seneca Park Golf Course clubhouse to discuss improvements to three entrances to Seneca Park.
Those who attend will be able to meet with parks staff and review the plans, which include enhancing the park entrances at Cannons Lane; near the entrance to the golf course at Seneca Park Road; and at Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field.
“Seneca Park is one of our most heavily-used and beloved parks,” said Seve Ghose, Director of Parks and Recreation. “As one of our 18 Olmsted-designed parks, we’re hoping to give it the grand entrance it deserves.”
Ghose said the goal of the meeting is to share concept plans and narrow the choices to the three entrances down to one option at each site before pursuing the construction phase of the project.
This evening the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) announced the selection of Dr. Martin “Marty” Pollio to serve as the next superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS).
“Dr. Pollio stepped in to lead our district on an interim basis during a very difficult time,” said JCBE Board Chair Diane Porter. “During the past eight months, he’s brought stability, reenergized our district and focused our priorities on what our schools and staff need to make all students successful. I know his leadership at JCPS will be student-centered, student-focused and student-driven, which is just what our district needs.”
Dr. Pollio began his career with JCPS in 1997 as a social studies teacher at Shawnee High School. He went on to serve as a teacher and assistant principal at Waggener High School before taking the helm as principal of Jeffersontown High School from 2007-2015. Before taking the role of acting superintendent, Dr. Pollio was the principal of Doss High School. He took a leave of absence from that position while he served the district as acting superintendent.
“The board made a bold decision when it chose me for this position eight months ago,” Dr. Pollio said. “I plan to bring the same passion, energy and focus to work every day to create positive learning environments at all of our schools where teachers can teach and students can learn. This job is not just professional, it’s personal. For more than 20 years, I’ve dedicated my career to serving the students of JCPS and my daughter is a student in this district. Now is the time for our employees, our staff and this community to stand up and support JCPS and bring about positive change for students by working together.”
Dr. Pollio received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and his master’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University. He earned his doctorate from the University of Louisville in 2012.
During his time as acting superintendent, Dr. Pollio has focused on improving climate and culture, improving organizational coherence and increasing student achievement. He’s returned budget cuts to schools, funded deeper learning priorities, opened the JCPS West Louisville Satellite Office, created an initiative to track K-12 student learning and implemented corrective action plans for issues found during previous administrations.
Dr. Pollio will serve as the sixth superintendent of JCPS since merger. The terms of Dr. Pollio’s contract are still being negotiated.
Superintendent Search Process
The Jefferson County Board of Education launched a search for superintendent after the resignation of Dr. Donna Hargens, which was effective June 30, 2017.
Dr. Marty Pollio was named acting superintendent while the board searched for a permanent replacement. The board advertised the search nationally and engaged a local firm to receive community feedback and input. There were nine applications for the position, and the board named two finalists in January. The two finalists participated in four community forums.
More information about the search is available here.
Photo: JCPS
Ballard High School’s The Collage was named the best student-produced literary magazine in Kentucky, earning a ‘Superior’ rating and a nomination for the Highest Award by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The recognition is the second time in three years that the publication has taken the top ranking by NCTE’s Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines (PRESLM), and makes The Collage the highest awarded literary magazine in Jefferson County Public Schools.
Nationally, only 26 student publications, out of 372 entries, were named Highest Award recipients.
PRESLM recognizes students, teachers and schools for producing excellent literary magazines. The program aims to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines and seek excellence in writing and schoolwide participation in production.
Ballard’s in-house literary magazine has been produced and published by students, for students, since 1970, and showcases student written and artistic work in all genres, themes and grades. The magazine is a project-based learning collaboration between the creative writing classes of Michelle Livesay and the digital publishing classes of Gary Crume with student fine art submissions from Ballard art teachers Patty Bradford, Lindsey Dobson, Emily Forrester, Marcia Hageman and Sarah Kaiman.
A limited number of copies of the award-winning 2017 edition are available by contacting michelle.livesay@jefferson.kyschools.us or gary.crume@jefferson.kyshools.us.
Portland Elementary School has received a $1,300 award from VSA Kentucky to support students’ social-emotional development through the arts.
Under the award, Letita Usher, a VSA teaching artist, will visit Portland as an artist-in-residence, teaching students drama techniques and storytelling skills. In addition, she will collaborate with the school’s art and ECE teachers to create visual art pieces, connect students to literature, and create a drama that encompasses the work.
“We are inspired by the opportunity to engage our highest-need students in this deeper learning experience that allows them to explore literacy and the arts through multiple modalities,” said Portland Principal Angela Hosch.
VSA Kentucky is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities in the arts for children and adults with disabilities.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
In an effort to stem a recent rash of violent crime in the district, Councilman Vitalis Lanshima is hosting a Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall Meeting on Monday February 12th at the Beechmont Community Center.
“There is a noticeable rise in crime in our neighborhoods, especially violent and drug related crimes. To successfully eradicate crime and create a community where all residents feel safe and proud to raise our families, we must employ a well-rounded approach that balances law enforcement with social programs, and community engagement,” says the Councilman.
This Town Hall Meeting will feature the 3rd Division Commander, Major Joshua Hasch and 4th Division Commander, Major Joshua Judah of Louisville Metro Police and the Director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhood, Rashaad Abdur-Rahman.
The meeting will focus on the importance of block watch programs to work with LMPD and residents to fight crime. Information will be shared on how to create a block watch.
The Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall is set for the Beechmont Community Center, 205 West Wellington Avenue from 6:30pm to 8:00pm on February 12th.
“This Town Hall will provide an opportunity to discuss what WE all must do to create a safer community,” says Lanshima. “We will leave with an action plan by working together.”
For more information about the District 21 Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhood Town Hall, contact Councilman Lanshima’s office at 502-574-1121.
On Saturday, March 10, Music Director, Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra bring award winning bluegrass fiddler, Michael Cleveland, and his band Flamekeeper to the LO Pops at The Kentucky Center. Along with Michael Cleveland + Flamekeeper hits like “Lonesome Desert” (featured on Cleveland’s most recent solo album Fiddler’s Dream), and the band’s unique take on Julian Lennon’s hit “Too Late for Goodbyes,” Teddy Abrams has also included two dance episodes of Aaron Copland’s Rodeo and Jeremy Kittel’s Pando in the mix.
Tickets for Michael Cleveland + Flamekeeper with the LO Pops range from $27 – $85 and are available by calling 502.584.7777 or online at LouisvilleOrchestra.org.
Michael Cleveland + Flamekeeper make their debut with orchestra. Their hard-driving traditional bluegrass is joins the orchestra in a concert that promises to be an amazing evening of music. Michael Cleveland grew up in Henderson, Indiana, and calls Southern Indiana his home. Now only in his mid-30s, Cleveland is one of the most acclaimed bluegrass fiddle player in the world!
