LOUISVILLE , Ky. — Elizabeth Shelburne spent Monday organizing books in her classroom and getting ready for Sept. 25 — what is expected to be the first day of early childhood education at Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). 

What You Need To Know

  • JCPS early childhood centers plan to start Sept. 25

  • They were supposed to start Aug. 23; the date was pushed back due to JCPS transportation problems 

  • More than 250 students are registered for George Unseld Early Childhood Center

  • There will be no transportation for most early education students until Oct. 9

Shelburne is a teacher at George Unseld Early Childhood Center. 

“It has been wonderful to have some students in the building for [the] open house. We cannot wait to have them in every day,” Shelburne said.  

Shelburne has been teaching at George Unseld Early Childhood Center since the school opened 10 years ago. She said early education usually starts about two weeks after the rest of JCPS, but the transportation difficulties the district faced last month resulted in a later start date for early childhood centers. 

The school was supposed to start classes on Aug. 23.

“It’s changed my preparation in that there were things that we always wanted to get done, you know you have a list of 'must dos,' 'would like to dos,' 'to do if you have time,' and it gave — for really the first time in my career — the chance to get all of things on my list done," Shelburne said. 

Shelburne said the extra time has also allowed her to go through trainings she would have done later in the year. 

“We were able to front load that training and get the new information we needed now for our new curriculum and the trainings on the IEPs we have to write. We got all the trainings on that before school started, so now we feel really prepared this year — more so than we ever have in years past,” Shelburne said.  

More than 250 students are registered for George Unseld Early Childhood Center. There will be no transportation for most early education students until Oct. 9. 


Principal Michelle Seadler said even though there will be more car riders and fewer buses, what happens in the school building will be the same as the staff has always planned. 

“We’re going to take care of them [the kids]. They’re going to be happy, healthy, safe. They’re going to have their lunches; they're going to have their nap time. They’re going to have everything they would have had before,” Seadler said.  

Seadler said she is optimistic about the school year. 

“We just want to let the parents know that we’re excited; we’re ready for them to be here. Don’t have any worries. Like I said our doors are going to open; the kids are going to be [taken care of] and we [will] have a great start to the year.” 

Related Stories