Brian Yearwood will be the next superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, according to Middletown Republican Rep. Jason Nemes.
The Jefferson County Board of Education was waiting to finish contract negotiations before announcing their pick, but in a Facebook post, Nemes beat them to the punch.
“We have a new superintendent in JCPS,” Nemes wrote Friday morning. “I have already reached out to Superintendent Yearwood and offered friendship and support.”
JCPS spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said she could not confirm Nemes’ statement.
“Nothing is official until the Board votes to approve any contract,” she told KyCIR by email.
Reached by phone, Nemes said he would not share anything more about where he heard the news, and that he didn’t know it wasn’t supposed to be shared publicly when he posted on social media.
District 5 board member Linda Duncan said it’s “way premature to jump to any conclusion about who our final person will be,” noting that contract negotiations are ongoing.
“There is no guarantee. Both candidates could be interviewing in other places as far as we know,” she said.
Board chair Corrie Shull did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
H. Brian Yearwood is one of two finalists named in the search to replace JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio, who is retiring at the end of June.
Yearwood spent most of his education career in school systems in Texas where, according to his resume, he rose through the ranks from teacher to principal to chief operating officer. He spent three years as superintendent of Columbia Public Schools in Missouri before leaving abruptly at the end of last year.
Yearwood took a $667,000 buy out with a non-disclosure agreement when he left that prevents him from speaking about the reasons for his departure.
JCBE members who spoke with KyCIR about Yearwood said they didn’t know why he left, but believed it was because of political differences with the local school board.
They told KyCIR they were impressed with his record in Columbia of turning around struggling schools and improving the district’s state rating.
Yearwood, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, would be the first Black superintendent of JCPS.
The teachers union and other members of the public were less impressed with Yearwood than the board. After hearing from him and the other finalist, Ben Shuldiner, in two public forums, feedback surveys showed overwhelming support for Shuldiner.
About 9% of teachers union members surveyed preferred Yearwood.
In 273 responses submitted by the community, constituents rated Yearwood’s expertise as much lower than Shuldiner’s.
Duncan said if contract negotiations go smoothly, the board should officially announce its pick Monday.
This story has been updated with additional information.
