The Book on Lu Young

This is the first of three reviews of the public record on finalists for the superintendency of the Fayette County public school district. The information is not analyzed so much as it is organized and presented for review by the public, and most importantly, the Fayette County Board of Education. It is our hope that the information will allow the board to make the best decision possible on bahlaf of our children.

Generally, the material is presented in three sections:

• First, the candidate's official resume, along with a collection of school district performance data, and where provided by the candidate, materials presented for consideration by the search firm, as well as other goodies we found
• the Herald-Leader's brief resume
• a chronological listing of public utterances as recorded in the press

This from FCPS:

Today Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young will meet with nearly 200 employees, students, parents and community representatives. School board members have expressed appreciation to all those who have agreed to represent their peers and provide the school board with feedback throughout the interview process. .


At 3 p.m. today, Young will meet with members of the media. The news conference will air live on Channel 13 and replay at 11:30 p.m. tonight and 11 a.m. tomorrow. If you do not have access to cable, Channel 13 programming streams live here: /administration/departments/channel-13/live-webcast. .

At 5:30 p.m., everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend a public forum in Norsworthy Auditorium at the school district’s 701 East Main Street office. KET news anchor Renee Shaw will interview Young with questions submitted by our community. The forum will air at 7 p.m. tonight, and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday on Channel 13. .

The Fayette County Board of Education is encouraging all stakeholders to submit their comments about each superintendent hopeful by emailing superinput@fayette.kyschools.us. All feedback sent there will be automatically forwarded to the five school board members.

Lu Young's official Resume

Jessamine County 2009-2010 Interim Preformance Report

Jessamine County Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT) Combined Reading and Mathematics Proficient/DistinguishedReport
 
Jessamine County NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS REPORT - 2011 (16/19 - 84.2%)


Lu Young - University of Kentucky College of Education 2009 Teacher Leader Workshop from UK College of Education on Vimeo.

Lu Young's FCPS Application

Jessamine County Schools’ Belief Statements

Jessamine County Schools, Data Trends, Executive Summary

School Curriculum, Assessment, and Accountability Council (SCAAC) mintues:
from 2006
from 2009

This from the Herald-Leader:

Lu Young : Current post: Jessamine County superintendent.

Age: 51.

Education: Bachelor's and master's degrees in Spanish

Family: Married, two children

Jessamine native 'has no weaknesses'

Lu Young briefly taught Spanish at Saint Mark Catholic School in Richmond during college, and she immediately was hooked.

"I changed my major during my sophomore year and never looked back," she said. "To this day, I still ache for the classroom."

Young, who grew up in Jessamine County, joined the county school system as a teacher in 1983, then she climbed the ranks to become superintendent in 2004. She knows Fayette County well - her family lived in Lexington for 20 years - and she says that would help her if she becomes Fayette superintendent.

Young is a strong believer in Fayette's Spanish immersion program and would be an enthusiastic supporter if she becomes superintendent.

"Both my children went through the Spanish immersion program at Maxwell Elementary, so I know how powerful it can be," says Young, who is bilingual in Spanish.

Young gets unsparing praise from Jessamine school board chairman Eugene Peel.

"We would really miss her if Fayette County hires her," Peel said. "She loves education; she works well with the community and with parents; she knows legislators across the state; she's a team builder. She has no weaknesses that I can see."

The Jessamine schools have made several advances during Young's time, but she says she's proudest of The Providence School, launched in 2000 as an alternative program for struggling students. The Fayette schools have copied some aspects of the program.

Young wrote a dropout-prevention grant to start Providence when she was Jessamine's assistant superintendent. Providence opened in a double-wide trailer with 30 students, and it now has its own building and 150 kids in grades six through 12.

Providence keeps such kids in school, sharply cutting Jessamine's dropout rates, which once were among the state's highest, Young says.

"We made a real commitment that we were going to hold onto these kids until our fingers were bloody," she said. "I consider it the best alternative school in the state."

Young also helped develop Jessamine's Career and Technology Center, which opened in 2006, offering classes in information technology, pre-engineering, health sciences and agricultural biotechnology.

"Our focus is on every child," Young says. "I believe it resonates with families and community and individual students. The message we want for them is that this is your education, your fighting chance. We can't squander time or resources. I like to have an intensity and urgency about learning in our schools so that we have really high energy enveloping the process."

Young will foster a similar approach if hired in Fayette County - and would stay around to make it happen, she said. "Jessamine County would tell you they haven't been able to get rid of me in 28 years. I love this work. I don't have retirement plans; I'd be happy to commit to Fayette County for several years ... if they'd have me."

KIRIS test scores mostly good - Richardson, Monica (1998, December 4). N Central Kentucky-
news for region’s schools. Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B9.

For the most part, Central Kentucky schools had reason to celebrate yesterday's release of the latest KIRIS test scores. Sixty-two schools - the majority in Franklin and other counties surrounding Fayette
- saw improvements. A dozen other schools that scored in decline have already begun analyzing what went wrong . But each school's plan for sustained improvement is as different as the children they serve.

"If there were a recipe, everybody would be doing the same thing," said Mike Oder , superintendent of Frankfort Independent Schools. Here's a look at how the districts performed:

Jessamine County:  Six of Jessamine County's nine schools are eligible for rewards. They are East and West high schools and Hattie C. Warner, Nicholasville, Rosenwald-Dunbar and Wilmore elementaries. But Brookside Elementary and East and West middle schools were labeled in decline. Brookside's results reflected the state's lowering of scores because teachers had taken notes on KIRIS tests. As a result, Brookside was one of 58 schools across the state that must notify parents of their decline.

The in-decline status of the middle schools stems from West Middle's split from East Middle in 1995. The schools' individual scores in the last two years did not exceed the improvement goal set when the schools were combined, said Lu Young , director of curriculum for the Jessamine district.

Central KY was above average- reasons for scores varied.  Kocher, Greg & Blackford, Linda (1999, August 24).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A7.

Schools in the counties surrounding Fayette and in Franklin County generally had higher scores than thenational norm on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. In some cases, the scores were much higher.

Model Lab Middle and Model Lab High in Madison County each scored in the top 10 for middle and highschools in the state. Model Lab Middle was in the 77th percentile and Model Lab High was in the 73rd.

Also in the top 10 was Providence Elementary School in Clark County, which has had consistently highscores in all three years of CTBS tests….

An ever-clearer and tightening focus on the expectations for students may have contributed to improvements seen in sixth-graders in the Jessamine County Schools, said Assessment Coordinator LuYoung .

"Those kids have spent their school careers in an education-reform setting. I can't help but feel that may be why we're seeing steady gains," Young said.

Central KY shows better test scores. Kocher, Greg (2000, August 2).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p.
A12.

Central Kentucky schools put in a good showing on the latest Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. Of the 79 groups of third-, sixth- and ninth-graders tested in math, reading and language, 52 had higher scores than their counterparts last year, 25 had lower scores, and two were unchanged. Among the higher-scoring schools in Bourbon, Clark, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Scott and Woodford counties were the Model Lab schools at Eastern Kentucky University in Madison County….

Jessamine County had a wide range of scores among its schools, with Wilmore Elementary showing a double-digit increase from last year, while Hattie C. Warner Elementary had a double-digit decrease. Assessment coordinator Lu Young suspects that a greater-than-normal transient population may be part of the explanation for that.

Independent school districts in the region, which typically have larger populations of children from poorer families, had respectable scores that reaffirmed the educational mantra that "all children can
learn."


Lawmakers’ bill propose raising dropout age to 18- 25% of Kentucky pupils don’t graduate. Blackford, Linda. (2001, February 6).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

…Wayne Young, director of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators, says many of his members worry about the costs of keeping dropouts until they are 18. But he feels it's an important piece of keeping kids in school."It's perplexing that we have statutes that allow kids to drop out at 16, and then we wonder why they do," he said.

However, people like Lu Young , an assistant superintendent in Jessamine County, says state legislators need to examine the more complex causes and complex cures. "It's going to take a lot more leadership and a lot more creativity," she said.

For example, Jessamine County has embarked on a district-wide project to identify kids who are having trouble by the third or fourth grade, then employ counselors to try to help them through social or academic problems. It's impossible to force kids to stay in school if they don't want to, just because they're a certain age, Young said.

Another way to engage students might be allowing them to telecommute through home computers. Currently, only medically homebound students are allowed to do this. "We can't try to legislate something without really solving the problem," she said.


School for disabled opens house (2003, June 22). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. E5.
Three teachers certified nationally

Three Jessamine county educators earned national teaching certificates: Joy Bozorgzad, a library/media specialist at East Jessamine High; Teresa Blakeman, a science teacher at West Jessamine Middle; and Bev Jennings, a fifth-grade teacher at Wilmore Elementary.

"I am very proud of their accomplishments," said Lu Young , assistant director of the Jessamine County Board of Education. "It is an intense process with a relatively short turn-around time, but the teachers tell me that it is so focused on their own students and their own professional growth that it is extremely valuable."

Young said the school system wants to have 20 nationally certified teachers in Jessamine County within the next five years. Information about the national teaching certification program is available at
http://www.nbpts.org/.

Bluegrass 10,000 girls 1-12 and women through age 49. (2003, July 5). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C2.

... 2731 Lu Young 1:34:59…


Judge asked to dismiss water company suit (2003, September 17). Lexington Herald-Leader, p.
B3.   …NICHOLASVILLE
Students made threats, police say

Three eighth-graders at East Jessamine Middle School were charged Monday after oral threats were made "to blow up a group of students," Nicholasville police said. No weapons were involved, and no
one was hurt; police said there was not a list of students that the two girls and one boy intended to harm. The two students responsible for the threats were charged with terroristic threatening. The third
juvenile was charged with conspiracy for failing to report to school officials that the other two said they intended harm. Lu Young , assistant superintendent for curriculum, said the Jessamine County Board of Education will hold disciplinary hearings after the three have gone through the juvenile courts.

Meanwhile, Principal Bill Pickett sent a letter to parents explaining what happened. East Jessamine Middle School has 915 students this year….

54 of 78 gained- Jessamine most improved district.  Kocher, Greg. (2003, October 8).  Lexington
Herald-Leader, p. B1.

The buzzer has sounded halftime in the two-year cycle of state accountability test scores, and a third ofthe schools just outside Fayette County will need to work extra hard if they are to meet their goals in
the second half. Of the 78 schools in Bourbon, Clark, Jessamine, Madison, Scott, Woodford and Franklincounties, 54 improved upon their 2002 scores. Scores for the rest either didn't improve or declined.

The same tests used to determine Commonwealth Accountability Testing System scores will be used in adifferent way to see whether schools meet new federal standards in the No Child Left Behind Act. Jessamine County demonstrated the most impressive turnaround. None of that district's schools was on track to reach a score of 100 by 2014 this time last year. But in the CATS results released yesterday, all the schools except West Jessamine High showed growth over their 2002 scores.

"We're real encouraged," said Lu Young , assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Jessamine district…..

Will east meet west? Jessamine high school debate county considers all 9th graders at one high school. Kocher, Greg (2003, December 3).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

….West Jessamine High has 882 students, or about half of what it had before East Jessamine opened.

If the schools are reconfigured, East would have about 600 students and West about 1,200. It's not known what the new, two-campus entity would be called.

What is known is that the Jessamine school district has grown by an average of 98 students a year over the last 42 years. Enrollment projections show continued growth over the next three to five years before stabilizing. In the meantime, Jessamine school officials see an opportunity to help ninth-graders.

Nationally, the high number of failures, dropouts and discipline cases is often caused by ninth-graders' difficulty in adjusting to high school. The ninth-grade failure rate is about three to five times higher than any previous grade, according to a report by the Southern Regional Education Board.

"I would call ninth grade our most vulnerable student population, and that's true in Jessamine County as well as the United States," said Lu Young , assistant superintendent for instruction in Jessamine. "We find the highest percentage of discipline problems occur at that grade."…


Kansas educator, Jessamine veteran seek chief’s job- board might announce its choice today.  Kocher, Greg (2004, March 26). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

A Kansas educator and a 21-year veteran of the Jessamine County schools are the two finalists for the superintendent's position in the growing district.

The two candidates are Kerry L. Roberts, who has been superintendent of the Liberal, Kansas, school district since 1999, and Lu Young , who has been assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Jessamine district since 2000. She began working in the district in 1983 as a junior high teacher.

The school board might announce as early as today with whom it has decided to pursue contract negotiations. But if an announcement doesn't come today, the board won't disclose its choice until after next week's spring break, said Board Chairman Karl Smith.

The Jessamine school board had 49 applicants seeking to succeed Linda France, who left last year to become a deputy commissioner in the Kentucky Department of Education. The current salary for the superintendent is $98,149, but that may change depending on negotiations with the board's choice.

The Nicholasville-based school district has nearly 7,000 students and a $55 million annual budget, and it has grown by an average of 98 students a year over the last 42 years….

Young has bachelor's and master's degrees in Spanish from Eastern Kentucky University, and is scheduled to complete a specialist in education degree from the University of Kentucky this spring.

She rose through the ranks of the Jessamine County schools. Since 1984, she has been a Spanish and curriculum resource teacher, an assistant principal at East Jessamine High, and director of curriculum.


Jessamine schools pick leader- District veteran of 21 years named superintendent.  Kocher, Greg (2004, March 27).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

Lu Young recited the words of a Spanish poet yesterday upon her public announcement as the new superintendent for the Jessamine County schools. "Traveler, there is no road/The path is made by walking it/Step by step/Verse by verse," Young said, quoting Antonio Machado.

Young, who has bachelor's and master's degrees in Spanish, said she was trying to convey that the district and its "community of learners" is on a journey blazed by her predecessors.

"I think we are already making the right journey, forging the right path, and I want to continue to look down the road that will ultimately take Jessamine County schools from good to great," Young said.

Young, 44, who has worked in the Jessamine district for 21 years, was the unanimous choice of the five-member school board, said Chairman Karl Smith.

"We looked for the best for our children. We're confident we've found her," Smith told an audience gathered for the public announcement at the district's central office.

Young will start as superintendent July 1. Her contract and annual salary have yet to be negotiated with the school board. The job currently pays $98,149 a year. Her challenges are enormous. The district has 7,000 students, and it has grown by nearly 100 students each year for the past 42 years.

Young said her No. 1 goal is to improve the academic performance of students. She also wants to remove barriers to learning and to build leadership opportunities for principals, teachers, support staff
and others.

But Young said she has two other goals: to improve student attendance and to improve communications among the district, families and the wider community.

She said the school district's average daily attendance is about 93 percent, which is below the state average. "One of the ways we hope to improve attendance is to communicate better with parents
about the importance of good attendance, to set clear expectations for what are excusable and unexcusable absences, and to just get the message out that we want their children in school and learning every day possible."

As for communications, Young said she wants to forge better partnerships with parents.

"I think what I've learned about school leadership over time is that there are so many opportunities to turn public opinion around," Young said.

Young graduated from Jessamine County High School in 1977, when the district had only one high school; it now has two and an alternative school. She received her degrees from Eastern Kentucky University.

Young succeeds Linda France, who left last year to become a deputy commissioner with the state Department of Education. France, who hired Young in 1983 as a junior high practical arts teacher, attended yesterday's announcement ceremony. She called Young "an extraordinary educator" who has
a vision of excellence.

"She's right for this district and right for this community," France said.

The school district conducted a national search and received 49 applicants for the superintendent's position. The board finally settled on two finalists: Young and Kerry L. Roberts, superintendent of the
Liberal, Kansas, school district.

But school board members said Young was clearly the top candidate. School board member Eugene Peel said Young has the energy, intelligence and commitment to assume the job.

"From the very beginning she said, 'I want to be your superintendent.' And I like that. I like somebody who knows what they want," Peel said.

"We were blown away by her articulation, her intelligence, her knowledge of kids and her idea of taking us from good to great," said board member Pamela Seales.

Interim Superintendent Pete Royse will continue in that role until Young takes over July 1.


Fletcher meets with schools chiefs- governor says pay raises will be small  (2008, April 28).
Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher, preparing to run state government on his own spending plan in the absence of an enacted budget, told school superintendents yesterday they would get funding for only modest pay raises and nothing for building projects….According to Kentucky School Boards Association officials, who also attended the meeting, Fletcher said the basic school funding formula known as SEEK would be increased $3,201, a $10 per pupil increase from Fletcher's original budget proposal.

"I don't think we'll go overboard with pink-slipping with this information," said Lu Young, the incoming superintendent of Jessamine County.


Legislators tour innovative school- Jessamine early learning village is called model system. Kocher, Greg (2004, September 14).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

The school puts nearly 700 preschoolers and kindergartners under one roof -- 350 in the morning and 350 in the afternoon -- and brings to the classroom the latest in research about early-childhood development. The state has pointed to the Village as a model for early-childhood learning since it
opened in the former Wilmore Elementary School building in the fall of 2000.

"This is the best investment we could make in education," said state Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit. "These children will be on track, they will be mastering the curriculum and they'll have good
success."….

During the committee's two-hour meeting, Jessamine County schools Superintendent Lu Young made a pitch for state financing of all-day kindergarten. Kentucky requires and pays for half-day kindergarten; many school districts pay for full-day kindergarten on their own.

"We do feel like that is one of those important developmental opportunities we're not providing for students," Young said after the meeting.


Jessamine construction booming- permits for single-family home building surpass record in Nicholasville. Kocher, Greg (2004, November 21).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

….The boom is part of a regional phenomenon. The value of residential construction contracts is up 16 percent over last year in Fayette and its six adjacent counties, according to Dodge Analytics, a division of McGraw-Hill that monitors construction activity in metro markets across the country.

The confluence of single-digit interest rates, less expensive lots and the availability of land all contribute to the river of people flowing into Jessamine, which the Kentucky State Data Center projects will grow an additional 21 percent, to more than 47,000 residents, by 2010.

 But problems accompany that growth. In a telephone poll conducted for the city of Nicholasville last year, 42.5 percent of the respondents cited traffic congestion, the loss of farmland or the growing enrollment in public schools as the biggest issues facing the community.

"At the middle and high school level, we often have to hire new staff after the start of school when we have more students than we had considered in the scheduling and hiring processes," said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young in an e-mailed response to questions about growth…

Two Pulaski County men die in head-on collision. (2004, December 16). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.  LEXINGTON

Cocaine allegedly in teacher's car

A Jessamine County substitute and former Fayette County teacher is accused of possessing cocaine after police searched her car when she didn't stop at a stop sign. Jennifer Lynn Hurley, 41, of Lexington was arrested by Lexington police early Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to drug possession charges at her arraignment the same day. A passenger in her car, Thomas Eugene Raglin, 49, also pleaded not guilty to cocaine possession. After pulling Hurley over, police found there was a warrant for her arrest for failing to appear in court on a previous charge. Police searched the 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix and found 0.8 grams of cocaine. Neither Hurley nor Raglin would claim the drugs. Police charged both with possession. Both are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17. Hurley was a Paul Laurence Dunbar teacher in the 1996-97 school year. She went to work for Franklin County schools before returning to Fayette County's Bryan Station High School in 2003. Lu Young , superintendent of Jessamine County schools, said a felony drug conviction could mean the loss of a person's teaching certificate.

Big goals for Nicholasville area. Hobbs, Charles (2005, January 5). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D5.

Among the goals officials listed for Nicholasville and Jessamine County for 2005:
* By June, implement exaction fees on new residential growth for the general government to help pay for police, fire and streets.
* Annex Brannon Crossing Centre Businesses by March or April.
* Continue the downtown revitalization programs and the promotion of downtown Nicholasville businesses.
* Form partnerships between Nicholasville and Jessamine County to merge some services and pool revenues to help keep taxes low.
* Work toward extending water service to areas in the county requesting water. Also, start increasing the pay scale of fire and police personnel to match that of comparable cities.
* Help provide land for the new Career Technology Center and the future Nicholasville branch of Lexington Community College. The target date for the technology center is February.
* Double the enrollment in the LCC branch from 63 to 126 in the spring semester.
* By June 10, complete the construction of the 1.5 million-gallon elevated water tank presently under construction.
* Continue to work with the Jessamine County Fiscal Court toward the construction of a new YMCA and Kentucky Football Hall of Fame.
* By November, submit plans to the Environmental Protection Agency for construction of the Northend Sewer Project.
* Possible new housing subdivision on McGuire Farm (U.S. 68) in Wilmore.
* Begin construction on a 92-acre shopping center and movie theater.
* Enact a new code enforcement board by June.
* Start development of the next phase of the Riney B Park for all age groups.
* Continue to work on stormwater abatement as the budget permits.
* Annex islands within Nicholasville's corporate limits to help eliminate confusion relating to safety and emergency service response.
* Begin the construction of Town Branch Interceptor Sewer Line.
* Begin the engineering design of the water treatment plant upgrade.
* Begin planning for a hospital on the bypass.
* Complete renovaion of athletic facilities at East Jessamine and West Jessamine high schools.

Sources: Jessamine County Judge-Executive William Neal Cassity; Wayne Foster, president of Jessamine County Economic Development; Nicholasville Mayor John P. Martin; Jessamine County Schools Superintendent Lu Young .

Man charged in Nicholasville blaze- fire destroys four businesses; suspect works for one of the companies. Kocher, Greg. Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C1.

A plumbing company worker was charged with arson in connection with an early-morning fire that destroyed his employer's business and three others.

No one was hurt, but the blaze destroyed a building that was less than one year old and canceled classes for a nearby school.The fire canceled classes at The Providence School, the Jessamine County school district's alternative school for about 250 middle and high school students, because Computrex Drive was closed to all but emergency vehicles and because water pressure was low in the area because of the firefighting, said Assistant Superintendent Owens Saylor. Classes are scheduled to resume today, Superintendent Lu Young said.


Teens accused of taking bleachers- replacement value placed at $10,000.  Kocher, Greg (2005, February 19). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C1.

Police have accused two Lexington teenagers of selling $10,000 worth of aluminum bleachers from West Jessamine High School for scrap. But the parents of one boy say someone on the school property permitted the teens to take the bleachers -- a claim that police and school officials can't confirm.

"We have not been able to verify that anyone involved with the school system gave anyone permission to take those," said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young . "We did not disassemble them, and it was never intended that they be scrapped.”


City grapples with annexation requests- some worry 1,694 acres is ‘too much too fast’.  Kocher, Greg (2005, March 1). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

The sheer size and scope of the proposed annexation has made some people uneasy because of the additional manpower and infrastructure it will require of the city. Even Nicholasville Mayor John Martin, whose initial comments about the annexation were favorable, now has second thoughts. "I felt we had a pretty good thing going, and now I'm not too sure," Martin said last week. "We're getting a lot of people wanting to piggyback on all this stuff. It's probably going to be too much, too fast."

Too much residential growth in a short period of time could have adverse effects on the Jessamine County school district, which has grown by about 100 students a year over the last 25 years.

Such growth "puts a strain on the district's infrastructure, including our ability to provide adequate classroom space, enough buses, enough teachers," Superintendent Lu Young said in an e-mail response to the annexation proposal.

Young and school board chairman Karl Smith met with Hughes and his attorney, Bobby Gullette, last week to talk about the annexation proposal. Young said the time line of 1,600 homes built over seven years has eased her specific concerns about the development.

Gas buildup cancels school in Jessamine. (2005, March 9). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

Workers burned off methane gas near West Jessamine Middle School yesterday after an apparent buildup was discovered Monday. School was canceled yesterday at both the middle school and the elementary school next door. Jessamine County schools Superintendent Lu Young said the flame burned until 6:30 p.m, after which the pocket seemed to be empty. Young said classes will resume today.

Camp Nelson hosts heritage tour. (2005, July 20). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D4. Career center project
The Jessamine County Board of Education has announced that its efforts to receive fiscal assistance for the construction of a new career center have resulted in a grant of more than $250,000. Superintendent Lu Young had applied for a grant to help with the Jessamine County Career and Technology Center, which is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2006. The money came from $3.8 million set aside in the Kentucky legislature's budget for the 2005-06 fiscal year for new career technology projects in "high-need, high-demand occupational areas." Two of those areas are information technology and health services, both of which will be taught at the new center. The center, which is expected to cost $6.8 million, will be a state-of-the-art facility where high school students and others in the community can receive career training in agriculture, banking, computer technology, health services, pre-engineering and other vocations. The 48,000-square-foot building will house classrooms as well as a room for county and district events. The center will be built on land adjacent to East Jessamine Middle School and the board's central office, which are both on Ky. 29, near the U.S. 27 Bypass.

Jessamine county to build career, tech center- aim of ‘hi-tech high’ is to develop work force for county. Kocher, Greg (2005, July 23).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

Yesterday, the Jessamine County school board accepted a $7.6 million bid from D.W. Wilburn Inc. for the new school, which will offer courses in pre-engineering, agribiotechnology, information technology, health services, banking and financial services, and elder care.

"We jokingly call it 'Hi-Tech High,'" said Superintendent Lu Young . "We've tried to look at student career interests, the needs of the community and economic-development needs. ... If we're going to develop the work force we want to be, this kind of center is a good step in the right direction."

Similar locally operated area technology centers are in Lincoln County and Jackson, Young said….When the center opens in the fall of 2006, it will serve 300 juniors and seniors who have already taken introductory courses in a chosen career field. Students might spend all or part of the school day at the site, Young said.


Buses and budgets- some districts scrambling for ways to cut fuel expense.  Kirby, Cassondra & Kocher, Greg (2005, August 10). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

…School officials said they purchase fuel through contracts with distributors. Typically, a school system will agree to pay a certain amount of pennies more than the distributor pays. As the price per barrel rises and the distributor pays more, so does the school system. Most buses run on diesel fuel and get about 9 miles a gallon, with many school systems logging more than a million miles a year.

The Jessamine County school district -- whose buses traveled 1.3 million miles last year -- increased its fuel budget from $288,840 in 2004-05 to $390,000 projected this fiscal year.

"And we don't have to cross a river or a mountain or an interstate, so in a lot of ways we have it easier in transportation than other districts -- like Pike County that sprawls a huge region but is less densely populated," said Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young . "Their fuel costs are astronomical."

Nicholasville to annex 999 acres- extension to Fayette line expected to spur development. Kocher, Greg (2005, October 13). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

Nicholasville City Commission voted unanimously yesterday to annex nearly 1,000 acres of northern Jessamine County into the city -- the largest expansion in the city's 207-year history.The annexation along U.S. 27 will extend the Nicholasville city limits to the Fayette County line. Before annexation, Nicholasville's city limits ended at the northern border of a former drag strip-turned-commercial park.

The annexation sets precedents in several ways. It opens the door to rapid residential growth around the 27 corridor, which heretofore has been a rural, green buffer between Lexington and its closest neighbor to the south. It extends alcohol sales from Nicholasville to the county line… There are no plans to build a school there yet, said Superintendent Lu Young .

Nicholasville isn't finished annexing property. This month, the city planning commission will consider rezoning requests for more northern Jessamine properties whose owners wish to be annexed, including Bethel Harvest Church, Wellington Christian Church and the Episcopal Church of Lexington…

Schools cutting back to pay higher heat bills (2006, February 8). Kentucky Post (Covington, KY), p. A6.

Some schools in Kentucky have been turning down the thermostat in an effort to moderate skyrocketing heat bills…..The Jessamine County school system is already $296,000 over budget for heating this year. 

Superintendent Lu Young decided to trim the district's heating bills by reducing temperatures a degree to 67 at her 11 schools. She also eliminated half the refrigerators in teachers' classrooms, limited personal heaters and reduced the after-hour use of schools. Students have been asked to bundle up.

Despite "a little grief" from staff, "I'm not getting a lot of complaints from parents," Young said. "Some studies say children actually learn better when it's on the cooler side."

State wants high school grads ready for next step- too many need remedial work in college. Jester, Art & Ismail, Raviya (2006, February 20). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

Kentucky's educators and lawmakers are sending a loud warning: Students can't expect to sail into college or land a job unless they master certain key skills before they graduate from high school.

The cause for alarm is that 54 percent of 26,646 entering students at Kentucky's state universities and community colleges four years ago arrived unprepared in one or more of three areas: math, English and reading. Even more worrisome is statistical evidence that unprepared students were twice as likely to drop out than prepared students. As a result, the institutions are forced to spend a total of $25 million a year on non-credit remedial work -- $14 million in state money and $11 million in student tuition to teach skills that should have been mastered in high school….

Meanwhile, the Kentucky Board of Education is considering the adoption of a so-called "rigorous curriculum" that would toughen courses for all high school students, especially in math.

"The light experience that American high schoolers have grown accustomed to during the senior year causes them to lose skills, math in particular," said Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young .

Innovative programs help challenge seniors – some highschoolers earn college credits. Ismail, Raviya (2006, February 20). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A10.

High school seniors in Jessamine County have the opportunity to earn college credit while completing their final year of high school. They also are encouraged to take Algebra II before they graduate.

It's these kinds of college preparation programs and curriculum changes that school officials across the state hope will reduce the number of students requiring remediation courses when they enter college.

"They are doing their senior year and a big chunk of their freshman year simultaneously," said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young . "They still want to be high schoolers but they are ready for college work."….

Schools cutting back to pay higher heat bills (2006, February 8). Kentucky Post (Covington, KY),

p. A6.

Some schools in Kentucky have been turning down the thermostat in an effort to moderate skyrocketing heat bills…..The Jessamine County school system is already $296,000 over budget for heating this year.

Superintendent Lu Young decided to trim the district's heating bills by reducing temperatures a degree to 67 at her 11 schools. She also eliminated half the refrigerators in teachers' classrooms, limited personal heaters and reduced the after-hour use of schools. Students have been asked to bundle up.

Despite "a little grief" from staff, "I'm not getting a lot of complaints from parents," Young said. "Some studies say children actually learn better when it's on the cooler side."

State wants high school grads ready for next step- too many need remedial work in college. Jester, Art & Ismail, Raviya (2006, February 20).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

Kentucky's educators and lawmakers are sending a loud warning: Students can't expect to sail into college or land a job unless they master certain key skills before they graduate from high school.

The cause for alarm is that 54 percent of 26,646 entering students at Kentucky's state universities and community colleges four years ago arrived unprepared in one or more of three areas: math, English and reading. Even more worrisome is statistical evidence that unprepared students were twice as likely to drop out than prepared students. As a result, the institutions are forced to spend a total of $25 million a year on non-credit remedial work -- $14 million in state money and $11 million in student tuition to teach skills that should have been mastered in high school….

Meanwhile, the Kentucky Board of Education is considering the adoption of a so-called "rigorous curriculum" that would toughen courses for all high school students, especially in math.

"The light experience that American high schoolers have grown accustomed to during the senior year causes them to lose skills, math in particular," said Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young .

Innovative programs help challenge seniors – some highschoolers earn college credits. Ismail, Raviya (2006, February 20).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A10.

High school seniors in Jessamine County have the opportunity to earn college credit while completing their final year of high school. They also are encouraged to take Algebra II before they graduate. It's these kinds of college preparation programs and curriculum changes that school officials across the state hope will reduce the number of students requiring remediation courses when they enter college.

"They are doing their senior year and a big chunk of their freshman year simultaneously," said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young . "They still want to be high schoolers but they are ready for college work."….

Kentucky awarded reading grant- achievement plan will involve 7 school districts. Kocher, Greg (2006, March 7).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

…The Kentucky grant -- one of eight to be awarded in the nation -- targets more than 1,000 sixth- and ninth-graders at 23 middle and high schools. Jessamine County, for example, will hire literacy coaches to work with students in two middle schools, two high schools and Providence alternative school, Superintendent Lu Young said.

"A literacy coach would work part of his or her time directly with students who need to get their reading up to grade level," Young said. "The coach would spend the rest of his or her time collaborating with classroom teachers to help them use strategies to help students read" in science,
math, social studies and other subjects…

Boy brings mercury to middle school- building, 10 Jessamine students cleansed.  Kocher, Greg (2006, March 11). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.

Science can be fun, but not the kind of experimentation that occurred yesterday at West Jessamine Middle School. When school authorities learned that a boy had brought a small amount of mercury from home to school, students remained in their classrooms until the building was checked for
contamination.

Once the building was checked and cleared by a hazardous materials team, students went to lunch and then to afternoon classes, Superintendent Lu Young wrote in a letter sent today to parents and guardians. About 850 students attend classes at West Jessamine Middle.

A short-term high dose of mercury can cause gastrointestinal damage, kidney failure, chills, nausea, difficulty breathing and lung irritation. But in this case, the amount of mercury didn't fill a plastic bottle cap, Young said. "None of the levels were ever high enough to be hazardous. It was all at the level of minimal risk."

Ten students touched the liquid mercury, Young said. "When you touch it, it beads up and runs away from you, and they were touching it to see what it would do," she said. None of the 10 had to be hospitalized.

However, those students were required to wash thoroughly and their parents were called to bring changes of clothing to school, Young said. The clothes with trace amounts of mercury must be washed.

The boy brought the mercury to school on a bus. Young said that bus will not be used until it has been cleared by state officials.

The middle school will reopen Monday, but it will be closed this weekend as a private contractor removes any traces of mercury from a hallway in the upstairs seventh-grade wing, Young said. A Nicholasville contractor will do the cleanup work, but a cost estimate wasn't available.

The home and the family of the student who brought the mercury must also be scanned for the substance, Young said. The boy got the mercury from the "thermostat on an old air-conditioning unit," she said. It was too early to say whether the student who brought the mercury will face disciplinary action, Young said. That will be addressed Monday.

In her letter to parents, Young wrote, "We would appreciate it if you would follow up with your child about the importance of not handling chemicals or unknown substances. And, of course, they should not bring chemicals or unknown substances to school."

Principal charged (2006, March 24). Kentucky Post, (Covington KY), p. A7.

A high school principal was charged with arson in the burning of his house, Kentucky State Police said Thursday.

Albert L. Crout III, 39, of Nicholasville, was arrested Thursday afternoon and released on bond. He is the principal of West Jessamine High School. He has been on sick leave since the fire and a substitute principal has been assigned to the school, Jessamine County schools Superintendent Lu Young said in a statement Thursday.

Arson investigator Kevin Dunn said the March 14 blaze damaged two rooms at Crout's home. His wife and three children were not there at the time.

School principal accused of arson- accused of setting fire at his home. Kocher, Greg (2006, March 24). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

The principal of West Jessamine High School has been charged with arson in connection with a March 14 fire that damaged his Grace Lane home.

Albert L. Crout III, 39, met Kentucky State Police at the Jessamine County jail and was arrested there, then posted a $10,000 full cash bond and was released. He is charged with second-degree arson, a felony punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison. State police arson investigator Kevin Dunn would not discuss a motive or explain why police suspect Crout set fire to his own home…

Superintendent Lu Young did say that, since the fire, a basket in the central office at West High had been collecting sympathy cards and letters from students and staff to send to Crout. "Several people have taken an opportunity to do that, to show support and encouragement," Young said…

West Jessamine principal indicted on arson charge- also faces 7 counts of wanton endangerment. Kocher, Greg (2006, March 29). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

A Jessamine County grand jury has indicted a high school principal on charges of arson plus seven counts of felony wanton endangerment in connection with a March 14 fire at his home. And court records in Nicholasville indicate that Al Crout, 39, principal at West Jessamine High School, admitted to police that he intentionally started the fire in his Grace Lane house by putting towels, clothing and bedding on the floor, pouring gasoline onto those materials, and then igniting the fire with a lighter…. Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young said last night that nothing has been determined about Crout's employment status.

The care is real, only the injuries are simulated. (2006, April 14). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

NICHOLASVILLE

School bus cleared of riders after fight
A school bus at West Jessamine Middle School was cleared of students after two high school boys got into a dispute that led to at least one throwing punches, Superintendent Lu Young said. Details were sketchy about the incident, which happened shortly before 4 p.m. yesterday. Nicholasville police were called to the scene but officers had no comment. "Our buses pick up at West High and then they go to West Middle, and this one kid went after the other while they were waiting there at West Middle," Young said. She didn't know how many students left the bus or the extent of injuries to the two boys.

Jessamine principal pleads not guilty- Crout charged after March 14 fire at his home. Van Campen, Todd (2006, April 29). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

West Jessamine High School principal Al Crout pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges in connection with a March 14 fire at his home. Crout is charged with arson and seven counts of felony wanton endangerment…. Crout is on sick leave from his job, Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young said. She said no determination has been made about his employment status. Richard Williams, instructional coordinator for the Jessamine school district and a former principal at Warner Elementary School in Nicholasville, was expected to finish the school year as a substitute principal at West Jessamine High.

Police arrest 20 on drug-trafficking charges (2006, June 21). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.
Superintendent traveling to China

Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young is among 400 U.S. educators who will travel to China for a one-week educational tour in an effort to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. The trip scheduled for June 27 through July 5 and is sponsored by Hanban, China's Office of
Chinese Language International, in partnership with several U.S. sponsors. "We are working diligently to internationalize the curriculum here in Jessamine County and this experience will help me to think
more globally about our work," Young said.

Ex-principal in arson case is moved- West Jessamine man given new job as migrant advocate. (2006, July 15). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3.

NICHOLASVILLE -- A former West Jessamine High School principal charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to his home has been reassigned to a position of migrant advocate in the Jessamine County schools. Al Crout will coordinate services for migrant students, Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young said.

"It's a teaching position in our migrant program," Young said. "We have about 100 students who receive services through a federal migrant program." Crout will work with instructors of English as a second language to provide tutoring for students or other services for the transient families of students, Young said.

Crout is charged with arson and seven counts of wanton endangerment in connection with the March 14 fire at his Grace Lane home east of Nicholasville. The wanton-endangerment charges are for allegedly endangering firefighters who responded to the scene.

According to court records, Crout admitted to police that he intentionally started the fire by putting towels, clothing and bedding on the floor, pouring gasoline onto those materials, and then igniting the fire with a lighter. Crout's wife and three children were not at home at the time of the fire, which caused significant damage to two rooms.

Crout's office will be at East Jessamine Middle School in Nicholasville, but he will work with students in schools throughout the district, Young said. He will work with students in small groups in the classrooms, Young said.

"It's a position that will use his skills well because there's a combination of leadership and budget oversight and also direct services to students," Young said.

She added: "My responsibility is to match his talent and ability with what I think would be the best position for him in the district until this (criminal case) is resolved." Crout will start in the position later this month, Young said.

28 Central KY schools fall short.  Kocher, Greg (2006, August 12). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

More than a third of the schools in the Central Kentucky counties just outside Fayette failed to meet federal goals in the No Child Left Behind results released yesterday. Twenty-eight of the 77 schools -- or 36 percent -- in Bourbon, Clark, Franklin, Jessamine, Madison, Scott and Woodford counties didn't meet their goals. The 77 schools include those in independent school districts in Berea, Frankfort and Paris as well as countywide school districts…

"We're still not meeting the needs of students with disabilities in reading and in math," said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young . "We can't make excuses about that. We do think we're making solid gains and we think our (state) test scores will show that. But the No Child Left Behind game is all or nothing -- you either make all the goals or you don't make adequate yearly progress."…

Jessamine County students are going ‘high tech’ - $8 million school focuses on college, careers. Kocher, Greg (2006, August 20).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1.

Jessamine County officials hope a new "High-Tech High" will keep students "home sweet home." That's the nickname for a new $8 million Career and Technology Center that just opened to offer courses in pre-engineering, agribiotechnology, information technology, health services, banking
and other math- and science-intensive fields…."Every student, if they do a three-course sequence, will qualify for an industry certification in their area, and most of the programs will articulate into postsecondary programs," Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young said…So a side advantage to the school is that it helps with overcrowding at the two high schools. "It staves off another high school for us for at least five more years," Young said…

Nicholasville mourns the deaths of 3 children- fatal crash in Jessamine, were going home from swim outing. Lannen, Steve & Van Campen, Todd (2006, August 24). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

After the thunderous crash of a van on Watts Mill Road shook their house, Chuck and Lisa Evans heard whimpering and crying. They found a young girl outside the van and a boy lying on the ground. Chuck Evans beat back a fire in the Kia Sedona with a home fire extinguisher, but the fire raged up and "swept through the van like a tornado," he said recalling the horrific scene Tuesday night south of Nicholasville that left three children dead… News of the crash spread quickly throughout Nicholasville, but was especially painful at Nicholasville Elementary, where Emily was in fourth grade and Caleb was in fifth. Madison Helton also is a fourth-grader there. Nicholas was a seventh-grader at West Jessamine Middle School, Jessamine County Schools Superintendent Lu Young said….

Grief counselors are expected to be at the elementary school and West Jessamine Middle the rest of the week. A letter was sent home to parents explaining the situation… At West Middle, Young said, "There's just a real heavy sadness."

New mother, 15, killed in crash. (2006, September 28). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B4.

A single-vehicle crash took the life of a new mother Tuesday night. Kassie Reynolds, 15, of Nicholasville, who gave birth just a few weeks ago, died in a crash southeast of Nicholasville. She was a passenger in a car that ran off Ky. 39. Reynolds' child was not in the vehicle. In the 2005-06 school year, Reynolds had attended West Jessamine High School, but this year she had attended classes at The Providence School, the Jessamine district's alternative school, said Superintendent Lu Young .

Police: Two students held after making ‘death list’. Hopkins, Shawntaye (2006, December 19). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B2.

Two Jessamine County students have been charged with second-degree terroristic threatening after creating a hit list they say was intended as a joke and a way to get out of school early, the Jessamine County Sheriff's Department said yesterday. A East Jessamine High student found the note yesterday afternoon in one of the school's restrooms.

The anonymous handwritten note was labeled "Death List" and included the names of several students and staff members, Superintendent Lu Young said. The note said the people on the list were going to be shot. The building, including lockers, was searched after the note was discovered about 2 p.m., but no weapons were found. Police also conducted interviews with students on the premises.

"We have got to send a message that students can't think this is a joke or a prank," Young said. Students will not be allowed to bring backpacks or large bags to school today, and a letter sent to parents said purses and large coats are being discouraged.

Changes in CATS ‘hard to explain’- altered test disrupts gauging of process. Ismail, Raviya & Kocher, Greg (2007, September 30).  Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

Attention parents: If you've struggled to decipher state test results in the past, the latest Commonwealth Accountability Testing System data may have you even more confused. Among the biggest changes to the data, publicly available Tuesday, is that schools will be assigned two scores this
year. One score is the school's raw score for the test, which has been drastically changed to comply with legislative and federal requirements. The other is an adjusted score that can be used to measure the school's progress from last year's test….

Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young is in favor of the addition of math and reading tests to several grade levels because more students are tested, giving a better snapshot of how students are doing.

"I think the scores will better reflect the majority of students in the schools, as opposed to an isolated, single grade level, which was the case in the past," Young said.

KERA revamp questions pile up Daud: Pros, cons of change being studied.  Ismail, Raviya (2008, February 21). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C5.

Educators and education groups on Wednesday were still trying to fully understand a state Senate proposal to replace the state's student testing system with nationally normed multiple-choice tests. Some sounded eager for a new accountability measure, while others were against changing course after 18 years of a state testing system under which progress has been made…

Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young , also a member of the state's School Curriculum and Accountability Council, which works with the Kentucky Board of Education on issues related to changing the state's testing system, said she is opposed to the bill.

Kentucky's current testing system "has a higher level of thinking that's required" she said. The bill's push for more multiple choice questions "has a place but not a pre-eminent place if Senate Bill 1 would happen as it is written right now," she said.


Jessamine schools make CBS show. Kocher, Greg (2008, March 8). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B5.

The Jessamine County school district's successful experience in later start times for high schools will be featured on CBS Sunday Morning this weekend. In the fall of 2003, after a year-long study that included a review of research on adolescent sleep patterns, the two Jessamine high schools changed start times from 7:40 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The change was made to give a little extra sleep time to teens, who are often sleep deprived. (The times were tweaked a little more in the 2007-08 year so that the Jessamine high schools now start at 8:40 a.m.)

The results: There are fewer tardy teens, especially during the first period. Furthermore, high-school attendance improved, and high-school achievement improved in each of the five years since, according to the district. Those results were mentioned in an opinion article last month in The New York Times, as well as last year in a segment broadcast on National Public Radio.

A producer with CBS Sunday Morning wanted to do a similar piece to run this weekend, when the clocks are set one hour forward for daylight-saving time, said Jessamine Superintendent Lu Young .

The CBS crew talked to East Jessamine High students on Feb. 29, Young said.

Personnel file. (2008, July 14). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C2.

United Way of the Bluegrass: The following have been named officers and new members for 2008-2009:.. Lu Young , new member, Jessamine County Public Schools, Jessamine County chair..

Villa Hills doc recognized. (2008, November 28). Kentucky Post (Covington, KY).

Jacqueline Van Houten, Ph.D., world language and international education consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education, has been named National Foreign Language State Supervisor of the Year.  Van Houten received the award last week at the 2008 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Convention and World Languages Expo in Orlando, Florida… Letters of support for Van Houten’s nomination were received from Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young ; Linda Pickle, Ph.D., past chair of Western Kentucky University’s Department of Modern Languages; Jeff Rogers, Ph.D., professor at the University of Kentucky; and Susann Davis, president of the Kentucky World Language Association…

Around Kentucky. (2008, December 11). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.  Jessamine County
Whooping cough at school

Jessamine County Public Schools reported its first case of whooping cough, a highly contagious disease. The case was confirmed Tuesday in a student at Nicholasville Elementary School, which has 600 students, said Superintendent Lu Young . The Jessamine County Health Department recommends that parents make an appointment with their child's health care provider or the health department.

Jessamine teen dies from MRSA- soccer standout removed from life support. Kocher, Greg & Ward, Karla (2009, March 11). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

A West Jessamine High School student battling a drug-resistant staph infection died Tuesday morning at the University of Kentucky Hospital. Ryan Robinson, a junior, had been placed on life support after contracting methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, said Sam Pile, who coached the boy on the Jessamine Youth Soccer Association's Storm Soccer Club, a traveling team… Trained therapists will be available at West Jessamine High School Wednesday - as they were on Monday and Tuesday - to counsel students, said Jessamine Schools Superintendent Lu Young .

"How incredibly sad we all are to have lost a student," Young said. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family as well as his friends and teachers. It's unbearably sad to think about losing such a young person and student."

Young had learned early Monday that there was a West Jessamine High student with a suspected case of MRSA, and she said extra crews were called in to thoroughly clean the school, as well as the Jessamine Career and Technology Center, where Ryan also attended. The career and technology center is also used by East Jessamine High School students.

A letter was sent home to East Jessamine students and their families Tuesday. "We have no evidence that the student contracted MRSA at school," the letter stated. "According to information that we have received from the student's mother, the treating physicians stated that due to the specific circumstances involved, they do not believe that other students are in danger of contracting MRSA."

The letter also says the school system is working with the Jessamine County Health Department "to review precautionary procedures" and had asked teachers to wipe down all classroom surfaces with "an EPA-approved disinfectant solution as an extra measure to prevent the spread of flu and other infectious diseases."

Around Kentucky (2009, March 18). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.

Student has MRSA
The Jessamine County school district has learned of another confirmed case of drug-resistant staph, but the student has been cleared to return to classes. Superintendent Lu Young wrote in a letter to parents that an East Jessamine High School student was diagnosed as a confirmed case of MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Ryan Robinson, 17, a junior at West Jessamine High, died of a MRSA infection on March 10.

Best defense against MRSA- Wash hands, says epidemiologist. Kocher, Greg (2009, April 8). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.

A state epidemiologist emphasized the importance of frequent hand-washing as the primary way to limit the spread of drug-resistant staph infections. "It's not very sexy, and it's extremely low-tech," said Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, director of the division of epidemiology and health planning for the Kentucky Department of Public Health. "But it is important way to prevent the spread of a lot of germs, not just MRSA."

Humbaugh spoke at a free public session to discuss methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The Tuesday night session drew about 50 people, including Jessamine County Fiscal Court's custodial staff and about a dozen employees of the Jessamine school district. The district and the Jessamine County Health Department sponsored the meeting… Jessamine County Schools Superintendent Lu Young said the session was helpful to her. "I think the biggest take-away for me is that we must triple-intensify our efforts to let kids know that hand-washing is the most effective precaution against MRSA and other infectious diseases," Young said…

Around Kentucky (2009, April 15). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.
School bus turns over

A Jessamine County school bus overturned onto its side Tuesday afternoon, but its two passengers were unhurt, Superintendent Lu Young said. The accident happened at 4:15 p.m. as the driver of bus No. 26 approached a turn on Watts Mill Road near Sulphur Well Road south of Nicholasville. As the bus driver allowed a car to pass, the front wheel of the bus went off the road. The bus driver, Winter Seibert, overcorrected, and the bus hit a rock wall and overturned, according to a school district release. Two elementary school girls were checked at the scene and released to their mother. Seibert suffered an injury to her left knee but was released at the scene. Seibert is a fairly new bus driver, but school administrators said she has had no other incidents since being hired.

Money earmarked for Web predator protection- Chandler announces $300,000 program for schools. Kocher, Greg (2009, April 15). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.

Middle schoolers and high schoolers will learn how to protect themselves from Internet predators when a new interactive computer program starts next fall, paid for with a $300,000 earmark secured by U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler.

The Jessamine County school district will launch the program and administer money that will spread the program to the more than 80 middle schools and high schools in Chandler's 6th congressional district in Central Kentucky. Chandler, D-Versailles, announced the funding Tuesday at East Jessamine Middle School… Jessamine County's student technology program already has classroom components that address cyber predators, and there are sessions for parents on the topic, too, Superintendent Lu Young said. Nicholasville police also present students with information about Internet safety and cyber bullying…

Obituaries (2009, May 17). Lexington Herald-Leader.

Herbert H. "Pete" Royse Jr, 68, beloved husband of Mary Sue Willis Royse, died Sat, May 16, 2009. He was a teacher, coach and administrator with the Jessamine County Schools for 43 years…Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Nicholasville. Nephews will be pallbearers. Honorary bearers will be Gary Combs, Don Cope, Bill Dickens, Harry Dodson, Howard Downing, Robert Elam, Carl B. Fisher, Ray Hager, Bob Hayes, Tom Mahanes, Joe David Martin, Shirley Smith, Carl Spivey, Alan Stivers, Jock Sutherland, Ruth Vahle, and Lu Young.

Longtime Jessamine educator dies. Ward, Karla. (2009, May 17). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C1.

Herbert H. "Pete" Royse Jr., who spent 43 years working in the Jessamine County school system, died Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 68. "He was the kind of person that just invested himself in the people that he worked with," said Superintendent Lu Young …

Personnel file. (2009, May 18). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. C2.

Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce: The following have been named officers and board members:… Lu Young , Jessamine County School System.

Band director out for year after arrest. Kocher, Greg (2009, May 23). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. D3.

A West Jessamine County High School band director who was cited Wednesday for loitering for the purpose of prostitution will not return for the remainder of the school year, according to a statement released by the district.

The statement released by Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young also said the district has launched an internal investigation in response to the allegations against Rex Payton, who has been band director at the high school for about three years. Young said they hope to have the investigation wrapped up within 10 school days.

"In the meantime, Mr. Payton will not be returning to his position at West High for the remainder of the school year," the release says. "We are currently working with school administrators and band parents to successfully complete the year." Citing school policy, Young said, the district "will not be able to release any further information on the matter until I. have reported the results of the investigation to the school board."

Around Kentucky. (2009, August 14). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B3. Charges dropped against band director
A charge against a West Jessamine County High School band director has been dismissed without prejudice, according to a Fayette District Court clerk. Rex Payton, 37, was cited in May for loitering for the purpose of prostitution, a misdemeanor, and he was suspended for the remainder of the school year. The charge against Payton was dropped Tuesday. Jessamine County Superintendant Lu Young could not be reached for comment regarding Payton's employment status. A Lexington police officer saw a suspicious vehicle in the Applebee's Park parking lot about 3:25 a.m. May 20. Police stopped the vehicle at Morrison Avenue and Broadway. Payton was driving, and a woman was in the car with him. Police said the two did not know each other's names and had conflicting stories. Payton had served about three years as band director at the high school.

Briefs (2009, October 31). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A3.
Mercury spill at West Jessamine High
West Jessamine High School was locked down about noon Friday after a small amount of mercury was detected on the floor of the school's lobby. Police and fire departments were called. The Clay Corman Excavating company in Jessamine County brought a mercury detector to check the shoes of each student, said Lu Young , Jessamine County school superintendent.

Shoes that had mercury contamination were placed in several large trash bags. "We had probably 50 to 100 pairs of shoes," Young said. The pace of checking shoes picked up after two additional mercury meters arrived from Frankfort. Still, the job was not finished until 4:30 p.m., Young said. The school is investigating the spill.

Education task force meets. (2010, February 17). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B8.

The first meeting of the Transforming Education in Kentucky Task Force was held Feb. 2 at East Jessamine High School. The task force, created in October, is charged with reforming education in Kentucky. Gov. Steve Beshear was welcomed by Jessamine County Judge-Executive Neal Cassity, Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer, Sgt. Scott Harvey of the Nicholasville Police Department, Superintendent Lu Young and student ambassadors. In his address in the school's media center, Beshear praised Jessamine County officials for their support of education.

Keep an eye out for a flock of flamingos (2010, September 2). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A3.

School bus in collision

Nicholasville: Eleven students from East Jessamine High School were taken to the hospital Wednesday morning after a school bus and a garbage truck collided on Sulphur Well Road, said Lu Young , Jessamine County schools superintendent. Young said she understood students complained of minor injuries, and that all the students were treated and released from St. Joseph-Jessamine RJ Corman Ambulatory Care Center.

Young said the shuttle bus was returning to the high school with students who had taken a morning class at the Jessamine Career and Technology Center. She said she did not know which driver was at fault in the accident, which is under investigation. An accident report was not immediately available from the Nicholasville Police Department.

Fayette board hopes to learn from past- Previous efforts beset with problems. Warren, Jim. (2011, February 15). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A1.

Fayette County School Board Chairman John Price says the board intends to conduct an open and transparent superintendent search, with community involvement, while avoiding the kind of glitches that plagued some previous searches. Past problems included rapid turnover, with two superintendents and two interims in the five years before Stu Silberman was hired; superintendent search firms that didn't do their homework, and conflicts between openness and confidentiality.

The board, now gearing up its search to replace Silberman, is reviewing some earlier searches, hoping to use things that worked well…. A few in-state names have been mentioned in education circles as possible candidates, including Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young and Daviess County Superintendent Tom Shelton, whom Silberman mentored when he was Daviess superintendent before coming to Lexington…

East Jessamine employee accused- track coach charged with two counts of sexual abuse (2011, February 26). Lexington Herald-Leader, p. A10.

An East Jessamine High School employee is accused of the sexual abuse of a 16-year-old girl, according to court documents.

Nicholasville police arrested Gary W. Overstreet, 30, who has been a track coach at the school, on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Overstreet was released from the Jessamine County jail Friday after posting 10 percent of a $20,000 bond.

Jessamine public schools Superintendent Lu Young said an internal investigation began into one incident that allegedly happened on school property. Further investigation by Nicholasville police led to the filing of two counts of sexual abuse.

In a letter to parents on Friday, Young wrote that late Wednesday "the East High administration received a report of misconduct on the part of a staff member involving a minor. Internal and external investigations ensued and are still in process."

"Because of confidentiality constraints regarding personnel matters, I cannot share any specific information about the case with you as a group or individually," Young wrote. "I can tell you that the staff member, who was arrested last night, served as a long-term substitute teacher and has been a coach."

Young added: "We continue to regard student safety as a sacred trust and creating a safe environment for our students is our highest priority as a school district."

Overstreet, who graduated from East Jessamine in 1999, could not be reached for comment. He is scheduled to appear in Jessamine District Court on March 24.