>> KELSEY: HI, AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

WE INTRODUCE YOU TO JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DR. BRIAN YEARWOOD, A NATIVE OF TRINIDAD REPLACED THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS.

THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR YEARWOOD WHO PREVIOUSLY LED COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MISSOURI.

THAT'S THE FOURTH LARGEST WITH CLOSE TO 19,000 STUDENTS.

JEFFERSON COUNTY IS KENTUCKY'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT BY FAR WITH CLOSE TO 100,000 STUDENT, ABOUT 19,000 STAFF MEMBERS ALONE.

ALTHOUGH HE JUST STARTED THIS JULY, YEARWOOD ALREADY HELD DOZEN OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, PUBLIC FORUMS FOR JCPS PARENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE GO INSIDE ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AT FAIRDALE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> AT FAIRDALE HIGH SCHOOL THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT MAKES SURE TO BRAG ON THE BULLDOGS.

>> FAIRDALE ALONG WITH SENECA, WHERE JUNIORS AND SENIORS SERVE AS PEER MENTORS AND TRANSLATORS OR STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH.

CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN.

>> AN IMMIGRANT HIMSELF, BRIAN YEARWOOD'S PASSION FOR TENNIS TOOK HIM AROUND THE GLOBE AND EVENTUALLY TO THE U.S. >> I TALK A LITTLE FUNNY.

I HAVE AN ACCENT BECAUSE I WAS BORN IN PLACE CALL TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.

IN THE BRITISH COLONIES.

I GREW UP WITH A FAMILY OF EDUCATORS.

MY MOM WAS A KINDERGARDEN TEACHER AND MY DAD WAS A MATH TEACHER.

TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY AT MY TENNIS RACQUET AND PLAYED AT WIMBLEDON TO REPRESENT THE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND THAT TOOK ME FORWARD TO GET MIMI EDUCATION.

>> YEARWOOD TAKES QUESTIONS AT A FORUM ATTENDED LARGELY BY JCPS STAFF AND PARENTS.

THIS MOM IS EAGER TO GET HER CHILD INTO ONE OF THE SOUGHT-AFTER MAGNET OR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.

>> THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS QUITE ROBUST.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF GOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BUT THEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THEN YOU HAVE TO APPLY TO GET INTO THESE STEM OR STEM CELL ACADEMIES OR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS.

>> WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR EVERYONE TO BE THERE.

LONG TERM, WHAT MY DREAM AND MY HOPE IS, IS THAT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL GETS TO THE LEVEL WHERE IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DISCERN THIS ONE IS GIFTED, THIS ONE IS REGULAR.

>> WHAT IS UNIQUE THIS YEAR IS FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS.

>> >> THE TIMEFRAME FOR BALANCING $100 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

>> THE END OF THE PANDEMIC RELIEF DOLLARS SET THE DISTRICT BACK $100 MILLION.

AND OTHER FEDERAL FUNDING IS NOT GUARANTEED.

>> ONE THING THAT WE CANNOT SACRIFICE, IS THE QUALITY OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE A ALLRY SOURCES ARE -- ALL RESOURCES ARE POWERED INTO THE TEACHING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

SO AGAIN, IT IS SOMEWHAT OF UNKNOWN TERRITORY.

IT IS.

BUT WE HAVE TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE WORST.

WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BE BETTER, MORE EXCELLENT STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO INTO THE AREAS TO PROVIDE THAT QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

>> WITH INCREASED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT THIS COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WORRIES FOR LATINO KIDS WHO MAKE UP NEARLY ONE IN FIVE JCPS STUDENTS.

>> A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE NOW, WE HAVE FAMILIES BEING SEPARATED AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.

>> IF A CHILD IS NOT IN SCHOOL, AND IS MISSING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, THEY'LL FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING.

WE DON'T NEED THAT NOW COMMUNITY.

WE DO NOT NEED THAT.

>> YEARWOOD WILL LEAD THE DISTRICT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS ACCORDING TO HIS CONTRACT.

FOR "INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

>> WELL, WELCOME, Dr. BRIAN YEARWOOD.

WELCOME TO LOUISVILLE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

SO WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT THERE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND COMING HERE.

AND I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF YOUR NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT AND YOUR NEW CITY.

>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME ON AND BE HERE THIS MORNING.

I HAVE JUST BLOWN AWAY BY THE KINDNESS AND THE TRUE PEOPLE-APPROACH WHERE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN PEOPLE DOING WELL, AND UPLIFTING PEOPLE.

AND JUST THE KINDNESS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AND THE SUPPORT.

IT IS VERY ENCOURAGING.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU MOVE TO A NEW CITY, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT.

BUT HERE, I FEEL LIKE I'M AT HOME ALREADY.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

WELL, WELCOME.

AND, THIS IS A TOUGH JOB IN A TOUGH DISTRICT.

AS YOU KNOW.

BUT, LIKE I SAID, WE HEARD A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND I WANT TO START THERE COMING FROM TRINIDAD, AND AS AN IMMIGRANT, TO THE UNITED STATES, AND YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU GROUP GREW UP IN POVERTY.

>> >> TELL ME HOW THAT INFLUENCED YOUR CHILDHOOD.

>> YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS WERE EDUCATORS AND EDUCATORS DID NOT GET PAID, WERE NOT PAID VERY WELL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT THERE WAS A POINT WHERE TEACHING WAS ALMOST LIKE A SECOND JOB.

AND, SO I GOT TO SEE MY PARENTS AND WHAT THEY ENDURED.

BUT I ALSO SAW THEIR PASSION FOR GROW INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN.

AND, AND AS I SORT OF MATURED AND WE WANT THROUGH MY EXPERIENCES, AND I ENDED UP IN A PLACE CALLED LUBBOCK, TEXAS, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, I HAD A BIT OF BIT OF AN EPIPHANY.

I HAD AN INTERACTION WITH A MAN, QUADRIPLEGIC, HE WAS BEING IGNORED SO IT STRUCK SOMETHING WITHIN ME, AND WATCHING MY PARENTS GROW, AND GROW KIDS, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITION WAS, RACE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THAT LEFT ITS MARK ON ME.

AND I DIDN'T -- IT DIDN'T QUITE MANIFEST ITSELF UNTIL I STARTED THAT INTERACTION AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK SO I CHANGED MANY I CAREER TRAJECTORY.

I'M A GEOLOGIST AND I CHANGED INTO TEACHING AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.

BECAUSE, THE REWARDS OF WATCHING A CHILD GROW, AND WATCHING THE LIGHT BULB COME ON FOR A CHILD.

TO ME THAT REWARD IS IMMEASURABLE.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT DRIVES ME EVERY DAY, IS TO ENSURE THAT, I'M GIVING MY BEST FOR CHILDREN, GIVING MY BEST TO ENSURE THE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S CREATED IS ONE THAT IS TRULY UPLIFTING TO ALL.

YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT KIDS ARE SAFE AND MAKING SURE THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT IS OF HIGH QUALITY.

THOSE THINGS HAVE DRIVEN ME EVEN WHEN I STARTED TEACHING, PEOPLE WERE QUESTIONING WHAT IS HE GOING TO BE LIKE.

NOT GROWING UP IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BUT MY BELIEF THAT WE DEDICATE ALL CHILDREN.

AND EDUCATE ALL CHILDREN WELL.

PLUS, YOU NEVER KNOW.

LIKE STRIKING A MATCH IN A DARK ROOM.

I NEVER KNOW WHERE THAT LIGHT ENDS.

WE MUST ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IGNITE INQUIRY, INNOVATION WITHIN OUR CHILDREN.

AND, WE NEVER KNOW WHERE THAT INFLUENCE ENDS.

>> ANOTHER PASSION OF YOURS, PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT, IS TENNIS.

AND YOU HAD A TENNIS SCHOLARSHIP AND ALSO PLAYED AT JUNIOR WIMBLEDON.

>> YES, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE.

ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A FAMILY FROM INDIANAPOLIS THAT CAME TO VISIT IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, AND THEY WATCHED MY BROTHER AND I PLAY.

AND IMMEDIATELY, ASKED TO SPEAK TO MY PARENT.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TENNIS COACHES, OR TENNIS COURTS.

WE PLAYED AT THE HOTEL COURTS THAT WERE FOR THE GUESTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WE LOVE THE SPORT.

WE PLAYED EVERY CHANCE WE GOT.

AND WE ACHIEVED A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY.

AND THEY ASKED IF MY PARENTS COULD REPRESENT THE CLUB IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, CALLED THE WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP TENNIS ACADEMY AND I'LL BE HONEST, THAT SORT OF STARTED OUR NEXT, I CALL IT, LEVEL OF PLAY.

GOT TO TRAVEL AROUND TO MICHIGAN, OHIO, NEW YORK, AND IT OPENED UP OUR EYES AS TO THE POSSIBILITIES.

SO, AGAIN, JUST IMAGINE A YOUNG MAN AT AGE 12 BECAUSE MY PARENTS COULDN'T AFFORD THE PLANE TICKET BUT THEY FLEW MYSELF AND MY BROTHER.

BUT, I FLEW BY MYSELF FROM TOBAGO TO INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, TO THE UNITED STATES, ON MY OWN WITH MY TENNIS RACQUET.

A TENNIS RACKET AND A DREAM.

AND I THINK THAT'S HELPED TO PROPEL ME BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITIONS, THE ATHLETICS, THE SUCCESSES, THE LOSSES, YOU KNOW, TO HELP TO ALLOW ME TO BECOME THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY.

SO, YES, TENNIS PLAYED A VERY PIVOTAL ROLE IN MY DEVELOPMENT.

SO ATHLETES OUT THERING YOU'RE VERY FORTUNATE, WHATEVER SPORT YOU ARE, ALL I ASK IS BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN BE.

>> SO THAT TOOK YOU TO TEXAS, WHERE YOU WERE A TENNIS COACH, TEACHER AND GOT INVOLVED IN EDUCATION.

AND THEN YOUR MOST RECENT JOB WAS COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MISSOURI.

>> YES.

>> NOW, THAT WAS -- IT IS A DISTRICT OF ABOUT 19,000 STUDENTS WHICH JCPS IS ABOUT FIVE TIMES THAT SIZE.

WITH ABOUT 19,000 STAFF MEMBERS ALONE.

SO, WHAT IS -- WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR A JOB IN LOUISVILLE, IN A DISTRICT OF THIS SIZE?

THIS IS A BIG CHANGE.

>> YES, SO BEFORE I APPLIED I LOOKED AT THE DISTRICT AND I MAKE SURE THAT I'M A GOOD FIT.

BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO APPLY SOMEWHERE WHERE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE UPLIFTMENT OF DISTRICT.

AND I LOOKED AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF LOUISVILLE, I LOOKED AT THE, WHAT'S BEEN DONE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I DIDN'T SEE EVERYTHING, BUT, THERE WAS ENOUGH THERE TO TELL ME, LOUISVILLE IS A PLACE THAT I CAN COME, AND CALL IT HOME AND THRIVE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BEING A SUPERINTENDENT OR EVEN BEING IN EDUCATION, IT IS NOT JUST A JOB, YOU KNOW, IT IS A CALLING.

IT IS BASICALLY WHERE YOU'RE COMING TO IMPACT LIVES IN POSITIVE WAYS.

AND, I KNOW LOUISVILLE WAS ONE THAT WAS DEFINITELY ATTRACTIVE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M VERY -- I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I MADE THAT DECISION.

I FEEL, HUMBLED THAT I WAS CHOSEN, BUT, I THINK THAT, WITH MY SKILLSET, AND WHAT I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS, I KNOW I WILL BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONTINUED UPLIFTMENT OF LOUISVILLE.

AND, TO GET HERE, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALMOST LIKE IT WAS A GOOD FIT BECAUSE ALL OF MY ACCUMULATED EXPERIENCES, ALLOWS ME TO BE EFFECTIVE.

AND ALTHOUGH IT IS LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE, THE PREDICTIVE VALUES THAT I NOW HAVE BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES, WOULD ALLOW ME TO TAKE IT TO SCALE, THE INITIATIVES AND THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES TO SCALE IN A LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW THERE IS ONE FACTOR, VERY VARIABLE THAT PLAYS INTO IT AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIZE.

WHETHER YOU'RE A THOUSAND TO 96,000 PLUS.

IT IS EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY.

ONE STUDENT AT A TIME.

SO THE NUMBERS DO MATTER AS LONG AS YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EACH CHILD, EVERY DAY.

MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE GROWING AND LEARNING AND ESPECIALLY IN AREAS PERTAINING TO READING AND MATH.

THAT ALLOWS ME TO POSITION MYSELF, FOR THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS, BECAUSE OF THAT PHILOSOPHY, BECAUSE OF THAT MANTRA, AND YOU WILL HEAR ME REPEAT, EVERY CHILD IS EXPECTED TO HAVE ONE YEAR, MINIMUM, ONE YEAR OF ACADEMIC GROWTH EACH YEAR.

SO, WHETHER YOU HAVE 200,000, 100,000, OR 1,000, WE MUST GROW EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY.

>> AND I KNOW ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE TEST SCORES.

YOU WERE ABLE TO, THE STATE ASSESSMENT SCORES JUMPED FROM 70,000 70% TO 86% IN ONE YEAR WHEN YOU WERE THERE.

WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO AND WHAT IS THE STRATEGY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HOPING THAT YOU CAN BRING TO JCPS TO IMPROVE THOSE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES?

>> THE PHILOSOPHY THAT, OF GROWTH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU TAKE A CHILD.

WE HAVE CHILDREN WITH DIFFERENT ABILITIES.

WE HAVE SEVEN -- GRADERS, THAT ARE AT NINTH GRADE MATH.

WE HAVE SIXTH GRADERS DOING FIFTH GRADE MATH.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT AND BE ABLE TO TAKE A CHILD WHERE THEY ARE AND GROW THEM.

IT DOESN'T MEAN BUT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST HAVE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, PERSONALIZED LEARNING.

AND, IT IS A GROWTH FACTOR THAT WE IMPLEMENTED IN COLUMBIA, AND WHAT WE SAW HAPPENING IS STUDENTS WERE NOT GOING ONE YEAR, SOME GOING TWO OR THREE YEARS.

SO, BECAUSE OF THAT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, BECAUSE STUDENTS WERE NOW MOTIVATED.

AND REMEMBER, IT WASN'T JUST A GOAL SET BY THE TEACHER.

EACH CHILD ALSO SET THEIR GOALS AND THEY WERE ALSO EXPECTED TO SHARE IT WITH THEIR PARENT.

SO, THEY KNEW, OKAY, THIS IS MY GOAL, THIS IS HOW I'M PROGRESSING TOWARD IT AND WHEN THEY WERE ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS, IT GAVE THEM EVEN GREATER CONFIDENCE AND THAT'S WHERE WE SAW MORE THAN A YEAR'S WORTH OF GROWTH.

SO THAT'S THE SAME STRATEGIES THAT WE WANT TO IMPLIMENT AND WE MUST KNOW EXACTLY WHAT READING LEVEL IS EACH CHILD ON.

AS A TEACHER, LOOKING AT THEIR CLASSROOMS, WHAT ARE THE VARIABLE READING LEVELS THAT WE HAVE.

AND HOW CAN I IMPACT EACH ONE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS GROWTH HAPPENING AND THE SAME THING IN MATH.

SO, AGAIN, THIS IS ALMOST LIKE, YOU KNOW, A BABY STARTS STEP ONE, CRAWLING.

AND THEN THEY STAND STARTING.

AND THEN THEY START A FEW STEPS AND THEY TAKE A FEW MORE STEPS.

AND THEN THEY START WALKING.

AND EVENTUALLY THEY START RUNNING.

SO AGAIN, THAT ES THE EDUCATIONLE PROCESS.

YOU START AND YOU START BUILDING AND BUILDING, AND THEN, WHEN A CHILD ACHIEVES THEIR GOALS AND THEY ARE MOTIVATED, THEY LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN SCHOOL.

THEY SEE SCHOOL AS BEING RELEVANT.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S JUST ONE PIECE AND I HAVE TO SAY, THE TEST SCORES ARE ONE METRIC THAT IS IMPACTED BY THAT GROWTH.

BUT, WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT THE OTHER PIECES OF ACHIEVEMENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, EXPOSING CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCES AND IN THE FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.

LIKE WE HAVE THE ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS GIVES A CHILD A DIFFERENT MINDSET AS TO POSSIBILITIES AND TO THE APPLICATION OF WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING IN THAT SEAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

SO, YES, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT AND WE IMPROVED UPON.

AND, ACADEMICS, YES, ROSE.

WE ALSO ROSE OUR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS.

I MEAN, IT WENT UP.

>> AT JCPS.

>> YES, AND, WE HAVE HAD CLOSE TO 25% REDUCTION IN OUR DISCIPLINE.

AND WE EXPECTED MORE TO COME.

SO, ALTHOUGH THE TEST SCORES IS ONE, IT IS IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MEASURED BY.

ALL OF THE OTHER FACTS WERE ALSO BEING IMPACTED AS WELL.

>> I AM ASSUMING THAT YOU HOPE TO BRING ALL OF THE SAME TYPE OF NUMBERS AND, TO JCPS, BUT IT IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES.

WHAT DO YOU FORESEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, RIGHT NOW, IN THE DISTRICT?

>> THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ARE BUDGET DEFICIT.

WE HAVE CLOSE TO $100 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I ANTICIPATE THATTEN WE WILL OVERCOME -- I ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL OVERCOME.

IT WILL TAKE GROWING PAINS TO GET THERE AND MAKING HARD DECISIONS.

BUT, WE WILL BE MAKING DECISIONS WHERE TWO THINGS IN MIND: ONE, THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR TEACHER SALARIES AND OUR TEACHER INCREASES IN PAY.

BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE ON FRONT LINE EVERY DAY GIVING THEIR BEST.

SOME OF THEM SPENDING MONEY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

THAT AREA MUST BE UNTOUCHED OTHER IS THE QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.

WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT EACH CHILD WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL, THEY HAVE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

THEY HAVE VARIED EXPERIENCES, AND, THOSE TWO AREAS IN MY OPINION ARE OFF LIMITS.

BUT, THE OTHERS, WE WILL DEFINITELY BE TAKING A LOOK AT AND, I'M SURE THAT WE WILL GET THERE, GET THE CUTS THAT ARE NEEDED BUT LIKE I SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE A BIT PAINFUL.

>> YES, AND FACING POSSIBLE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING AS WELL.

>> YES, THAT'S POSSIBLE.

WE'RE HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE LOST CLOSE TO $11 MILLION AND AT THE, I CALL IT THE TENTH HOUR, WE GOT, WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS BACK.

WE ARE HOPING THAT, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM CHILDREN, IN TERMS OF THEIR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS NO GOOD FOR ANYONE.

IT IMPACTS CHILDREN.

IT IMPACTS THEIR FUTURE THE PROMISE OF QUALITY EDUCATION.

SO MUCH IS IMPACTED SO I'M HOPING THAT, THE FEDERAL CUTS STAY AWAY FROM THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN.

>> AND, AS WE KNOW, OUR PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT SERVED FOR 8 YEARS AND WAS A LIFE-LONG JCPSER.

HOW DO YOU FEEL BEING SOMEBODY NOT FROM HERE IS A POSITIVE?

>> YES, SO, NOT BEING FROM HERE, ALLOWS ME TO BRING A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES INTO THE DISTRICT.

I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL DISTRICTS AND EACH DISTRICT IS UNIQUE.

AND I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING AND TAKEN SOMETHING AWAY FROM EVERY DISTRICT.

WHEN I COME IN, I COME IN WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF EYES.

AND I'M ABLE TO LOOK AT THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

OF COURSE, WORKING WITH MY TEAM AND WORKING WITH MY COMMUNITY, I AM BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS BASED UPON MY PAST EXPERIENCE.

SO I THINK THAT, HE DID A GREAT JOB HERE AND SET THINGS UP, AND, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I WILL BE CONTINUING BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, DIFFERENT SPIN ON CERTAIN THINGS.

AND, ONE THING THAT I'M VERY BIG ON IS THE ASPECTS OF SCHOOLS AND GETTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO GROW, AND TO HAVE HIGHER ACHIEVEMENTS.

YOU KNOW, NOT JUST IN TEST SCORES BUT IN JUST OVERALL, LOWERING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, REDUCING DISCIPLINE AND OF COURSE, IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES, INCREASING GRADUATION RATES, THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING HERE.

AND ENHANCING THAT AND LOOKING AT OUR POST READINESS FACTORS.

MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS AS THEY MAY TRICK LATE INTO A POST READINESS ENVIRONMENT, BEING SUCCESSFUL.

NOT FOR THIS IT SELL BUT BEING SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE UPLIFTMENT OF OUR CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, AND JUST SOCIETY OVERALL.

SO, THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT TO ME, I WILL BE, I KNOW WILL BE IMPROVING UPON AND CONTRIBUTING TO.

>> Dr. POLEO ALSO HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF HIS TIME IN FRANKFORT EDUCATING FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.

AND THERE IS STILL, THERE ARE STILL TALKS ON THE TABLE ABOUT SPLITTING UP THE DISTRICT.

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THAT, AND, WHAT'S YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE SO FAR WITH SLAY OF THES?

>> I HAVE TO BE SAY, I WAS VERY PLEASED.

I VISITED FRANKFORT, I VISITED WITH SEVERAL OF THEIR LEGISLATORS THERE IS A COMMON THREAD THAT EXISTS, A COMMON THEME.

THEY ALL WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR LOUISVILLE.

BUT THEY ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR JCPS.

THAT'S LIKE THEY WOULD FOR ANY DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

NOW, HOW WE GET THERE OF COURSE, THERE ARE VARYING PATHWAYS.

AND, WHAT I HAD TO -- AND I WANTED TO LISTEN MORE, I WANTED TO LEARN, OKAY, WHAT IS HAPPENING?

WHY ARE WE SAYING THIS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND, I'LL BE HONEST, WE SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS IN THAT WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN IN LOUISVILLE.

AND I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, DOCTOR, WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.

NOT AGAINST YOU, WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU FOR THE UPLIFTMENT OF JCPS AND THAT RESOUNDED WITH ME, AND, IT WAS MUSIC TO MY EARS BECAUSE THE LEGISLATORS WANT WHAT'S IS WHAT'S BEST FOR JCPS AND THEY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER, HAND IN HAND TO GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO.

AND I'M ALL FOR THAT COMPLETELY.

I DIDN'T HEAR A WORD ABOUT SPLITTING THE DISTRICT UP AND THINGS LIKE THAT IT WAS LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

AND I EMBRACED THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

>> WHAT'S YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF JCPS WHILE YOU'RE HERE.

AS YOU MOVE ON ONE DAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT THE DISTRICT TO LOOK LIKE?

>> WELL, HOPEFULLY THE MOVING ON WOULDN'T HAPPEN.

BECAUSE I'M LOVING THE TOWN, THE AREA, THERE'S SO MUCH HERE.

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

FOR ME, IT'S BEING ABLE TO HAVE JCPS BECOME A DESTINATION DISTRICT.

A DISTRICT THAT STUDENTS WANT TO GO TING LOOK FORWARD TO.

WHEN KENTUCKY TALKS ABOUT JCPS, IT IS A PLACE THAT THEY SAY, I WISH MY CHILD WAS THERE.

NOW, LET'S BACK IT APP BIT.

HOW DO WE GET THERE?

WE GET THERE BY IMPROVING OUR ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.

WE GET THERE BY ENSURE ENSURING THAT TEACHERS ARE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE GET THERE BY, GROWING OUR CHILDREN ONE AT A TIME, AND DEMONSTRATING THAT.

WE GET THERE BY HIGHLIGHTING THE PHENOMENAL PROGRAMS AND THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE POURED INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

JUST IMAGINE, THERE ARE OVER 200 BUSINESSES IN LOUISVILLE, THAT ARE CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRAINING APPRENTICESHIP OF THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT MAGNITUDE OF SUPPORT.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ENHANCED, GROWN, AND DEVELOPED SO THAT WHEN OUR STUDENTS LEAVE US, THEY ALREADY KNOW THEIR PATHWAY.

MAYBE THEY WANT TO BE THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT THERE.

I WOULD LOVE THAT.

MAYBE THEY WANT TO BE THE BEST NEWS ANCHOR.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT I WANT TO PUT INTO THEIR FUTURE, AND, I WOULD GET THAT DONE.

>> ♪ ♪ ♪ >> YOU CAN WATCH AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME AT KET.ORG/INSIDELOUISVILLE AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR EXTRAS INCLUDING A HISTORY OF WHAT'S KNOWN AROUND HERE AS THE OLD RIVALRY.

IT IS ONE OF THE OLD NEST THE COUNTRY, AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.

PLUS, YOU CAN HEAR Dr. YEARWOOD'S ADVICE FOR PARENTS.

HOW TO SET YOUR STUDENT UP FOR SUCCESS THIS SCHOOL YEAR, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ATTEND SCHOOL.

FIND ALL OF THAT ON OUR ININSTAGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

I HOPE WE SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

♪ ♪