JCPS Board of Education Considers Frost Closure Tonight

by Stephanie CrosbyThe Jefferson County Board of Education meets tonight to possibly vote on proposals to close one middle school and re-staff part of five other schools. The recommendations were made by Superintendent Sheldon Berman last week after a state audit of the district’s six lowest-performing schools.Board member Joe Hardesty said last week at a special board meeting that the panel needs to consider the audit through the lens of the entire district.“It’s a fairly significant condemnation of the district in terms of leadership and implementation of policies," says Hardesty. "I don’t know if there’s a re-staffing options the state could have considered for the district, but it’s not just the schools’ fault, that’s the point I want to make, I want to look at this at the district level as well as the school level.”The audit focused on Frost and Western Middle Schools and Fern Creek, Valley, Western and Shawnee High Schools. The recommendations were to remove principals or site-based councils, or re-staff the school, or a combination of those actions.Berman has recommended closing Frost Middle, and re-staffing part of the rest.