Director of Lexington girls’ STEM school resigns with ‘a heavy heart’ amid controversy

The director of Lexington’s Rise STEM Academy said she is resigning “with a heavy heart,” one of several issues that caused families to criticize Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins and the school board at its Monday meeting.

The parents, upset because Liggins recently shelved longstanding plans to add sixth grade to the girls magnet school in the fall, praised director Jennifer Jacobs, who announced her resignation in a March 22 email to families.

“I came to Lexington to be a part of a movement — an opportunity to revolutionize the STEM industry truly,” Jacobs said in the email to families.

“The memories I will hold dear are everyday classroom interactions — listening to our Kindergarteners explain the laws of physics and motion through their creation of a roller coaster,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs led Rise with passion and professionalism and was an advocate for the success of every scholar, said parent Jaime Hurt.

“She really will be sorely missed,” Hurt said.

The magnet school opened in 2020 and initially launched with grades kindergarten through second with long term plans to expand through eighth grade.

However, Liggins recently announced the initial vision for a K-5 school had not come to fruition and existing grades should be made stronger before expanding. He said he did not want it to continue to be “a program that is not fulfilling the full vision that it can.”

Jacobs did not immediately respond to an email from the Herald-Leader asking for further comment on her resignation.

Highly charged meeting

At least five Rise parents spoke at the Monday school board meeting, and many more were in the audience.

They asked for a detailed rationale behind the district’s decision and a list of alternatives that were exhausted before coming to the decision not to add sixth grade.

Some, crying as they spoke, said the decision not to add sixth grade to the school showed that the district did not value their daughters or care about them.

Jeremy Porter, whose daughter is a fifth grader at Rise, said the eleventh hour decision not to add sixth grade sent a “shock wave” through him. He said he only had seven days to find an alternative for her.

He said school board and district staff never responded to his calls.

“If this were your children, your grandchildren, you would be furious,” parent Jessica Chapman told the board.

Monica Haque, another RISE parent, asked for transparency and consistent communication regarding the current and future state of the program.

“We demand clarity on the future direction of the program. We need concrete timelines and benchmarks to gauge progress and ensure accountability. We need a plan that not only addresses the immediate challenges but also sets the stage for the resumption of the middle school program,” she said in a news release.

Porter and other parents are asking for the district to take $2.2 million originally intended for a sixth grade expansion at the former Central Office annex and another $300,000 allocated for the expansion and reinvest it into Rise.

Parents previously successfully lobbied for a newly constructed school for K-5 Rise students on Versailles Road.

After the parents spoke, board member Amanda Ferguson asked that the money be used at the current facility on Spurr Road for improvements.

Liggins said the renovation had already begun at the Central Office annex for sixth grade girls when the decision was made not to move ahead.

Among other requests, parents want the district to support students affected by the decision and for the board to clarify the direction of the program with estimated timelines and benchmarks.

Parents are asking that inequities be resolved that are persistent at the 2420 Spurr Road location, such as the lack of gymnasium, limited library and potential environmental health hazards.

They also want monthly communication with parents, families, teachers and staff until the Rise program is stabilized, and for the district to publish a post-mortem review of lessons learned.

District officials did not respond to the parents at the meeting.

But Liggins told parents in a March 8 email: “I want to express my sincere regret for any distress caused by the timing of this decision.”

“I take complete responsibility for any shortcomings in our communication efforts, as well as the delay in addressing the critical matter of Rise’s readiness to expand beyond the fifth grade,” Liggins said. “However, I want to assure you that I am fully dedicated to rectifying this situation.”

The controversy has galvanized parents, including Monica Mundy, who decided to run for the First District School Board seat shortly after Liggins’ announcement about not adding sixth grade.

Promised improvements

In a Monday email to families, Liggins noted Jacobs’ resignation and said he knew parents had questions and concerns.

“Please know that we are committed to keeping communication lines open and transparent,” he said. “Director Jacobs announced her resignation last week. I want to thank her for her dedication to Rise and for being the first director of this program.”

Liggins said the search for the next leader would begin immediately.

Once a new principal is named, the school will develop an advisory group involving staff, families and students, he said.

“Our team is intently exploring and developing expanded partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and educational institutions,” Liggins said, noting a district support team is forming.

Liggins said there will be additional field trips, more STEM-focused learning experiences, and increased exposure to women in STEM-related careers, at each grade level.

Additionally, he said he will broaden after-school programming and participation in local, state and national STEM competitions.

To provide more space for physical activity, Liggins said the district will provide regular bus transportation during the school day to STEAM Academy for access to the gym.

The library will be reconfigured to promote greater use of the space by students and will include updated furniture and books.

“We are excited about the future of Rise and remain dedicated to providing a top-tier STEM education for our scholars,” he said.