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Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) will open the application period for prospective charter schools on April 16 when it releases its Request for Charter School Applications (RFCSA). The 60-day application period, for schools looking to open in the 2019/20 school year, will run through June 15.
Potential applicants are encouraged to take advantage of technical assistance opportunities offered by JCPS throughout the application period. Each application will be reviewed based on its merit against the rubric published in the RFCSA. There is no incentive in submitting an application early.
The Jefferson County RFCSA will include the Kentucky Charter School Application as well as additional questions specific to community needs in Jefferson County. In addition, the RFCSA will include more information about the form, format and information required for the completion of the application.
Cassie Blausey, director of school choice for JCPS, said the district must move forward with the application process even though state funding has not yet been determined. “Charter school legislation was passed during the 2017 legislative session. As a result, all local school boards are automatically charter school authorizers and required to comply with the legislation,” she said. “The RFCSA is the board’s action to comply with the legislation.”
Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Blausey at cassiopia.blausey@jefferson.kyschools.us, or at (502) 485-3138, for more information.
Photo: Louisville Metro Housing Authority
The Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund (LAHTF) has announced the allocation of FY18 funds. LAHTF allocated about $8.76 million to 22 different projects which will assist in the creation or preservation of 1,115 units to projects in 8 Metro Council Districts.
Because of Trust Fund dollars, 775 of these units will be updated and upgraded while maintaining their affordability. 340 of the units will be brand new, through new construction or renovation of a vacant property.
The allocation was celebrated at the ground breaking of Middletown Apartments, a project that was allocated FY18 funds, as well as funds from Louisville CARES. The Apartments will consist of 80 one, two and three bedroom units on Urton Lane.
“An increase of affordable housing units, scattered across our community, is essential for our residents to reach their full human potential,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “When families are cost-burdened by their rent, they have to give up other things like time with children, food or other essentials. The allocation by LAHTF will open housing opportunities for people who need them while simultaneously attacking other problems in our community like vacant properties.”
“Fully funding the Trust Fund is the only way we can begin to move the needle on the affordable housing shortage,” LAHTF Executive Director Christie McCravy said. “Projects and jobs are created, residents have choice…it’s a win for the entire community.”
LAHTF FY18 funds have been allocated as such:
- $175,000 to Winterwood Property Management for the renovation and rehab of the 27 unit Rivertown Apartments complex in District 6
- $1.74 million to LDG for the new construction of 158 units of a 316 unit multifamily apartment development in District 24
- $1 million to Housing Partnership Inc. (HPI) for the rehab of the 89 units at York Towers in District 4
- $450,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville for the new construction of 15 single family homes on vacant properties in Districts 1, 4, 5, and 16
- $350,000 to New Directions Housing Corporation and River City Housing for the renovation and rehab of 7 vacant single family homes in District 4
- $1 million to HPI and Urban Acupuncture for the new construction of a 24 unit multifamily development designed to house refugee families on a vacant property in District 5
- $30,000 to HPI for Operation Victory, a collaboration between HPI and local unions to build a home on a vacant property for the purposes of housing a homeless veteran
- $566,000 to Dayspring Community Living for the new construction of 3 single family homes on vacant properties in Districts 6 and 15, creating 9 single room occupancy housing units for the disabled
- $58,000 to House of Ruth and River City Housing for the new construction of a duplex on a vacant property in District 4
- $225,000 to HPI for the renovation and rehab of 11 vacant single family homes in District 4, 5 and 6
- $500,000 to Allied Argenta for the renovation and rehab of 125 units of the Henry Greene Apartments in District 4
- $1 million to Telesis Corp. for the renovation and rehab of 503 units at City View Park in District 4
- $250,000 to HPI for the new construction of the 80 unit Middletown Apartments in District 19
- $266,000 to Wabuck Co. for the renovation and rehab of the 16 unit Lions Arms I complex in District 1
- $200,000 to AME Church and Allied Argenta for the renovation and rehab of the 15 units Greater Community Apartments in District 5
- $300,000 to REBOUND, Inc. for the purchase and rehab of 4 vacant properties in District 4
- $189,000 to APK Development for the purchase and rehab of 5 vacant single family homes in Districts 1 and 5
- $330,000 to DF Property Holdings, LLC for the rehab of 11 vacant single family homes in Districts 4,5,6, and 15
- $100,000 to Blackrock, LLC for the rehab of 12 units of a vacant multifamily complex in District 4
- $34,000 to Yvonne and Crystal McAfee for the rehab of one vacant single family home in District 4
Additional funds were allocated to Homes of the Innocents ($10,000), HPI ($3,500) and Louisville Urban League ($15,000) for supportive housing services.
For more information on the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/housing-community-development/louisv…
Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra announce the third annual Festival of American Music at The Kentucky Center, beginning with Kentucky Classics on Saturday, March 24 (8PM). This concert features music inspired by the bluegrass state and homegrown songwriters. The second program of the Festival of American Music, Play, will be performed on Friday, April 6 (11AM) and Saturday, April 7 (8PM) at The Kentucky Center and explores some of the most potent voices in contemporary American composition; Julia Wolfe, Michael Gordon, and Jim James.
Individual tickets range from $27 – $85 and are available by calling 502.584.7777 or by visiting LouisvilleOrchestra.org.
Kentucky Classics (March 24) will celebrate American roots, emphasizing Kentucky-centered music and local musicians such as singer-songwriter Joan Shelley, a Louisville native whose “crystal-clear voice meditates on the spaces between people, in arrangements that evoke Bacharach and African blues influences as much as acid-folk” (UK Independent). Another Louisville native and singer-songwriter, Tyrone Cotton, will perform in a unique style influenced by his classical guitar studies at Western Kentucky University and a period of jazz immersion in Boston. Neo-folk singer and harpist Lizzie No, “an exceptionally talented artist with a gift for making an age-old music sound fresh and relevant again” (Americana UK), will make her Louisville Orchestra debut. And Michael Cleveland, the International Bluegrass Music Association’s most awarded fiddler, returns with his band Flamekeeper after their LO debut on March 10. The program is bookended with New Piece for Orchestra by Edgar Meyer and Four Dance Episodes from Aaron Copland’s ballet Rodeo.
When putting this program together, Louisville Orchestra’s Music Director, Teddy Abrams said:
“Our 2018 Festival of American Music celebrates music that was quite literally ‘grown’ and nurtured here in our country: a kind of music from the very earth of this nation. The first program features a range of modern soloists who derive inspiration and continue traditions from Kentucky’s folk and Americana genres. Ultimately these different solo sets lead to a special performance of Copland’s Rodeo.”
The second program, Play (April 6+7), further broadens the perspective to include a wider range of contemporary American composers. Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe’s riSE and fLY will be performed with percussion soloist Gabriel Globus-Hoenich, who was also featured on Abrams’s Muhammad Ali: The Greatest this past fall. Natural History by Michael Gordon was commissioned for the 2016 National Parks Service Centennial, and premiered at the Britt Festival under Teddy Abrams’s leadership on sacred land in Oregon. Natural History explores the spiritual connection between the land and the traditions of the Klamath tribe. The Louisville performance will feature the Steiger Butte Singers and Drummers, a Native American drumming ensemble who participated in the premiere and both a new recording on the Cantaloupe label and the documentary Symphony for Nature from Owsley Brown Presents, currently airing on PBS stations across the country. Play is rounded out with music by special guest artist Jim James, founding front-man of famed Louisville alt-rock band My Morning Jacket. He joins the orchestra for the world premiere performance of a song cycle written in collaboration with Abrams.
Teddy Abrams elaborated:
“The second week of our Festival showcases some of the great creative forces in American music today. Julia Wolfe’s riSE and fLY is a percussion concerto inspired by New York street beats and the rhythm of the American work song. Michael Gordon’s Natural History is an enormous-scale composition that I commissioned at the Britt Festival to be performed with over 150 musicians on the very edge of Crater Lake National Park, and his work is intimately constructed around a group of musicians from Oregon’s Klamath Tribe – for whom Crater Lake is a sacred place. Finally, Louisville’s world-renowned Jim James and I have been co-writing a song cycle which will be premiered at this show. His music is very special to me – he combines a beautiful insight into the world around us with a great and readily apparent human spirit.”
Ashley Scholle, a fourth grade language arts and social studies teacher at Audubon Traditional Elementary School, has been presented with the Excellence in Classroom and Educational Leadership (ExCEL) Award. Representatives from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and from the award sponsors — LG&E and KU and WHAS11 — honored the teacher on March 6 during a ceremony at the school.
“Ms. Scholle is a wonderful fourth grade teacher who models integrity, respect, creativity and accountability,” said Audubon Principal Tiffany Marshall. “She is a leader in the building who supports the students inside and outside of the classroom. Students know they have to learn, and are willing to be challenged to reach their potential.”
Scholle dedicates extensive time and energy to her students and school community outside the classroom as well. She has been involved in numerous initiatives, including the Reading Content Specialist Team and Visual and Performing Arts Program Review Committee, teaches Extended Learning and serves as Quick Recall Coach.
“Mrs. Scholle has a passion for teaching and helping students realize their full potential by creating a safe and engaging learning environment that inspires students to work at higher levels,” said Robin Divine, a counselor at Audubon. “She inspires students to participate in her classroom and they always feel safe to ask questions to further their knowledge.”
As part of LG&E and KU’s commitment to supporting education across the communities it serves, Scholle and other ExCEL Award winning teachers each receive a $1,000 instructional grant from the company.
Photo: Louisville Metro Public Health And Wellness
The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness continues to work to control an outbreak of acute hepatitis A that has centered in the city’s homeless and among those who use illicit drugs.
On November 21, 2017 the Kentucky Department for Public Health declared an outbreak of acute hepatitis A in several counties throughout the state. To date there have been 142 cases in Kentucky of which 124 have occurred Louisville. Today, the Kentucky Department of Public Health announced the death of a Jefferson County resident with multiple other health issues whose symptoms and lab results met the case definition of acute hepatitis A infection. This is the first death in Kentucky associated with this outbreak.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by a virus. It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route or consumption of contaminated food or water. Most adults with hepatitis A symptoms may experience fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, or jaundice, that usually resolve within 2 months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated.
Since the outbreak was declared in 2017, the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness has activated its Incident Command System to coordinate its response to control the outbreak. The department has given nearly 6,000 hepatitis A immunizations at homeless shelters, homeless camps, recovery houses and at agencies such as Family Health Centers’ Phoenix Health Center. It has also provided immunizations at Metro Corrections, both at intake and in the general population. It regularly continues to provide immunizations at its syringe exchange sites, its Specialty Clinic and at the MORE Center.
In addition, the U of L pharmacy has provided immunizations for first responders at agencies such as EMS, Public Works and Louisville Fire. The Department of Public Health and Wellness is also working with Kroger Little Clinics and Walgreen’s to immunize other first responders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has praised Louisville’s response to the hepatitis A outbreak calling it the “gold standard” and a model for other cities to emulate.
“The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to get immunized,” said Dr. Lori Caloia, medical director of the Department of Public Health and Wellness. “Certainly those who have hepatitis B or C or who have other types of liver disease should get immunized,” she said. “Among these people hepatitis A can be fatal.”
“Almost everyone knows someone who uses drugs. People who use drugs should be encouraged to get immunized. Those who are homeless and those who work with the homeless should also get vaccinated,” said Dr. Caloia. “Anyone who wants to avoid getting hepatitis A should consult their health care provider to see if a hepatitis A immunization is right for them,” said Dr. Caloia.
To control the outbreak the Department of Public Health and Wellness is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to give free hepatitis A vaccinations to the homeless, those who work with the homeless and those who use illicit drugs. These groups can get free immunizations at the following times and locations.
- Louisville Metro Syringe Exchange
400 E. Gray St.
Mondays & Fridays 11am – 4pm
Tuesday & Wednesday 1pm – 6pm
Thursday 3pm – 6pm
Saturday 11am – 2pm - Family Health Center – Phoenix
712 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
Monday – Friday
8am – 4:30 pm
All others wishing hepatitis A vaccination should contact their healthcare provider or contact their local Kroger Little Clinic or Walgreen’s.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis A vaccination as follows:
- All children at age 1 year,
- Persons who are at increased risk for infection,
- Persons who are at increased risk for complications from hepatitis A, and
- Any person wishing to obtain immunity (protection).
Kentucky also now requires all schoolchildren in kindergarten through twelfth grade to get two doses of hepatitis A vaccine.
While the current hepatitis A outbreak in Louisville has centered in the homeless and those who use illicit drugs, the CDC also lists these groups as being at increased risk for hepatitis A.
Persons traveling to or working in countries that have high or intermediate endemicity of hepatitis A. Persons who travel to developing countries are at high risk for hepatitis A, even those traveling to urban areas, staying in luxury hotels, and those who report maintaining good hand hygiene and being careful about what they drink and eat (see https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/hepatitis-a for more information).
Men who have sex with men. Men who have sex with men should be vaccinated.
Users of injection and non-injection drugs. Persons who use injection and non-injection drugs should be vaccinated.
Persons who have occupational risk for infection. Persons who work with HAV-infected primates or with HAV in a research laboratory setting should be vaccinated. No other groups have been shown to be at increased risk for HAV infection because of occupational exposure.
Persons who have chronic liver disease. Persons with chronic liver disease who have never had hepatitis A should be vaccinated, as they have a higher likelihood of having fulminant hepatitis A (i.e., rapid onset of liver failure, often leading to death). Persons who are either awaiting or have received liver transplants also should be vaccinated.
Persons who have clotting-factor disorders. Persons who have never had hepatitis A and who are administered clotting-factor concentrates, especially solvent detergent-treated preparations, should be vaccinated.
Household members and other close personal contacts of adopted children newly arriving from countries with high or intermediate hepatitis A endemicity. Previously unvaccinated persons who anticipate close personal contact (e.g., household contact or regular babysitting) with an international adoptee from a country of high or intermediate endemicity during the first 60 days following arrival of the adoptee in the United States should be vaccinated. The first dose of the 2-dose hepatitis A vaccine series should be administered as soon as adoption is planned, ideally 2 or more weeks before the arrival of the adoptee. More information is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5836a4.htm.
Persons with direct contact with persons who have hepatitis A. Persons who have been recently exposed to HAV and who have not previously received hepatitis A vaccine should be vaccinated. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5641a3.htm
Other than vaccination, the best way to keep from getting hepatitis A is to wash your hands using warm water and soap, to handle uncooked food appropriately, and to fully cook food. Always wash your hands before touching or eating food, after using the toilet, and after changing a diaper.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilwoman Mary C. Woolridge (D-3) invites residents of the area to a special meeting of the Hallmark Neighborhood Association on Monday, March 12th to discuss a warehouse demolition project.
“I want everyone in the area to understand what is the latest information involving the demolition project of warehouses at 2349 Millers Lane,” says Woolridge. “My office has been made aware that while this project moves forward with demolition, it is important to be aware of what may be constructed on this property.”
The Councilwoman has invited Robert Kirchdorfer, Louisville Metro Codes and Regulations Director to speak at the meeting. He has been asked to discuss what is known about the project including the demolition and future building permits for the property.
The meeting is set for Southern Star Baptist Church, 2304 Algonquin Parkway in the lower level beginning at 7:00pm.
The company that will be occupying the new warehouse is Advanced Distribution Service. The building is a new warehouse that is 251,317 sq. ft. The estimated cost is $6,700,000; they paid $30,254.12 for the permit. The demolition permit would retain the shell of the building only. Once the tenant gets ready to move in another permit will be issued, then more details will be known about future construction.
“I want to make sure everyone in the area has an understanding of what type of business is proposed for this location,” says Woolridge. “This is an opportunity to ask questions and be updated on the timeline involved with demolition and construction.”
For more information about this special meeting of the Hallmark Neighborhood Association, contact Councilwoman Woolridge’s office at 574-1103.
A stronger pipeline of young talent is critical to Louisville’s future, Mayor Greg Fischer said in launching the SummerWorks youth jobs program for 2018.
“Summer jobs are critical building blocks for young people, and SummerWorks is crucial for the health of the local economy, because it creates a pipeline of future talent,” Mayor Fischer said. “We want Louisville’s business culture to be one where every company, large and small, hires or sponsors summer jobs for youth.”
Last year, more than 160 companies and organizations hired SummerWorks youth. And already, momentum is building for this summer, with many employers hiring youth through the program for the first time, including Hilliard Lyons, Kelley Construction, Kentuckiana Comfort Center, iQor, Louisville Bats and Spectrum. Other companies, including Kentucky Kingdom and Thorntons, are increasing the number of young people they hire.
Today’s program kickoff was at GE Appliances, where 13 SummerWorks participants have gone on to full-time work in the past two years.
“GE Appliances was one of the first Louisville companies to sign up for the SummerWorks program because we saw a critical need to build a pipeline of young talent who want a good career in manufacturing,” said GE Appliances Vice President of Manufacturing Bill Good. “Working with SummerWorks has been a great experience, and I look forward to seeing the program grow as other companies begin to participate. It has been an excellent way to recruit motivated, energetic youth who have brought fresh thinking to our manufacturing operations.”
Additional businesses where program participants have transitioned to full employment include the Hyatt Hotel, Humana, Kentucky Kingdom, Norton Healthcare and UPS.
Starting this year, SummerWorks will play an increasing role in creating more young talent through its alignment with the new Academies of Louisville initiative being rolled out at JCPS high schools. The goal is for every student to have had a summer job experience by the time they graduate their Academy high school.
“The SummerWorks program offers our students a unique opportunity to gain relevant and hands-on experience in the working world, which aligns perfectly with the Academies of Louisville structure,” said Dr. Marty Pollio, JCPS Superintendent. “And the benefits go both ways. This summer experience not only builds on the classroom instruction, giving our students a real-world application to what they’ve learned, but because of the practical experience they’ve gained in the academies programs, they are sharper and more proficient employees for the SummerWorks business partners.”
Companies and organizations that aren’t able to directly hire youth this summer can instead sponsor jobs. A donation of $2,500 funds a summer job at a non-profit organization or city agency.
SummerWorks will continue creating job experiences that build entrepreneurial skills in young people by providing mini-grants to five local organizations: Empowered, Inc., Food Literacy Project at Oxmoor Farm, Jefferson Memorial Forest, New Roots and Pride Leadership Academy. The grants will fund work experiences for youth ranging from helping provide fresh produce in West Louisville, to developing fish hatchery tanks, to creating a business plan and website for a small business. Additional grants will fund job training and career exploration hosted at five local non-profit and public agencies.
SummerWorks is overseen by KentuckianaWorks, the workforce development agency for the Louisville area, in partnership with Louisville YouthBuild, which adds expertise in working with at-risk youth and provides mentoring and job-coaching. The goal is to provide even stronger long-term outcomes for young people involved in the program.
In 2014, SummerWorks was recognized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors as one of the nation’s best summer jobs programs for young people.
The Mayor launched SummerWorks after taking office in 2011, in response to the elimination of federal funding for summer jobs. In that first year, the effort placed 200 young people in jobs. Last summer, more than 5,200 youth found summer work directly through the program and at its champion employers.
Other businesses that have committed to hiring SummerWorks youth this year include 4th Street Live, Dare to Care, GlowTouch Technologies, Interapt, Kindred Healthcare, Kroger, Louisville Zoo, Oxmoor Auto Group, Speedway and YMCA of Greater Louisville.
Employers and youth participants can sign up for the program at www.summerworks.org.
