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Dr. Pollio’s ‘sound management’ cited for overcoming district challenges
July 13, 2021—Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio demonstrated “an exemplary adeptness at strategic leadership” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an evaluation of his performance for the 2020-21 year.
“During a time of unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic,” the evaluation stated, “Dr. Pollio navigated very rough waters with a steady hand and resolve to keep focus on a shared vision of facilitating student learning and thus led us through a crisis strategically.”
“Dr. Pollio’s leadership resulted in the district being nimble, adaptable and highly supportive of students.”
The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) released findings from its annual superintendent’s evaluation during a special meeting of the board tonight.
In their assessment, school board members commended Dr. Pollio for looking beyond the pandemic to support student learning into the future. “Even as he took immediate action to address the demands of the moment, he identified opportunities to build systems for the longer term, moving toward district-wide one-to-one technology and rethinking how technology can be used to accelerate learning,” the evaluation noted.
Board members also recognized Dr. Pollio for helping secure a local revenue increase and exiting state corrective actions under the management audit by “facilitating a ‘night and day’ transformation” as well as making continuous improvements to the district’s organizational chart.
“The threat of the state takeover is easy to forget given the pandemic and other issues, but it dominated the early years of Dr. Pollio’s administration and its successful conclusion can’t be celebrated enough,” board members wrote in their evaluation. “Despite the district exiting state monitoring, Dr. Pollio again shows leadership in pursuing a district-led corrective action plan to ensure that improvements become systemic and last for years to come.”
In the evaluation, board members also commended Dr. Pollio for “taking bold steps to improve minority hiring, reduce teacher vacancies and increase teacher retention across the district” and his emphasis on “staff training to better serve our culturally diverse students, address bias and provide equitable access to programs and opportunities.”
In addition, the review noted that under his leadership, the district continues to make strides in developing and ensuring a culturally responsive curriculum and an increased focus on the expansion of historically underrepresented students identified as gifted and talented, including Black and Brown students, students with disabilities and English Learners.
The board uses the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA) Superintendent Evaluation procedure, which focuses on evidence and performance expectations using seven standards and goals agreed upon by the board members and superintendent.
Dr. Pollio received an exemplary rating in the areas of strategic and managerial leadership. In the standards of instructional, cultural, human resource, collaborative and influential leadership, the board rated Dr. Pollio’s performance as accomplished.
For a full copy of the evaluation, click here.