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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.
The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) has received nine applications from candidates interested in serving as the superintendent of the Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District after an open application process concluded on December 1, 2017.
The Superintendent Screening Committee, whose role is to provide recommendations to the board, will meet December 8 to initiate a review of the candidate applications. The board will begin its own review of applications during its executive session scheduled for December 12.
The recommendations of the screening committee will be one source of information the board will use in selecting the new superintendent. In addition, the board will consider community perspectives following extensive public outreach over the next two months.
The board will seek input from multiple district stakeholders, including parents, students, teachers, principals, and other district administrators and employees, as well as community organizations and groups. This input will be provided through multiple methods of community outreach, including surveys, community meetings, focus groups, social media, and the district’s website. The board contracted Louisville public relations firm Bandy Carroll Hellige to manage the outreach, and more details about different opportunities for public feedback will be announced in the coming weeks.
The board expects that the process of reviewing applications will take place through December and January and that the finalists for the superintendent position will be interviewed in February with the goal of the selected candidate beginning work by April. These dates are not intended to set a fixed timeline.
Updates will be provided throughout the process.
The Jefferson County Board of Education released the following statement April 13 regarding the leadership of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS):
“The Jefferson County Board of Education and Dr. Donna Hargens, Superintendent of the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), today announced that the Superintendent will step down from her position, effective July 1, 2017. Although Dr. Hargens regrets that her approach to implementing the strategic plan for JCPS no longer aligns with the Board’s approach, she is grateful for the experience of having provided leadership for the school district for the past six years.
The Board thanks Dr. Hargens for her service to JCPS and for guiding the district through its strategic planning process. The Board and the Superintendent believe it is in the best interest of employees and students to have a new leader guide the district through implementing the strategic plan. Since 2011, JCPS increased its graduation rate to 80.1 percent, doubled its College and Career Readiness rate, increased overall reading and math for every subgroup, and increased the number of students taking Advanced Placement classes. While the district has moved forward during the past six years, the Board believes that the district must accelerate the pace of achievement.
The Board is committed to its vision that all JCPS students graduate prepared, empowered, and inspired to reach their full potential as thoughtful, responsible citizens of our diverse, shared world. There is much work to be done. With the collective commitment of the Board, parents, teachers, and administrators across the district, JCPS can and will reach its goals. The Board now intends to move forward with a sense of urgency to find a successor to the Superintendent and take actions that will continue to improve the education that it provides to all children of Jefferson County.”
