COMMUNITY
WEST END SCHOOL ADVANCING FORWARD WITH NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL AND EXPANSION PLANS WRITTEN BY TIM LAWSON
T he West End School, a tuition- free, all-boys school located in Louisville’s Chickasaw neighborhood, announced last year that thanks to community and corporate investment and contributions, it would be expanding and welcoming young girls to its student body of Pre-Kinderten – eighth graders. This was just the beginning of a stream of good news for the school and the neighborhood, This year, positive developments continue at the school, as the appointment of Dr. Gregory E. Ross as Head of School was recently announced. Dr. Ross is a seasoned and passionate leader with an extensive background in education and institutional learning management.
launched last fall to support the campus expansion and facility growth. The timing of the campaign dovetails nicely with Dr. Ross’ appointment, as he has extensive fundraising and development experience from his career in education. Paul Perconti, Board of Directors Chair Emeritus and co-founder of the West End School said Ross was the ideal choice to lead the school. “From the first conversation I had with Dr. Ross, I could sense his true passion to lead our next generation of students. The Board and I couldn’t be more excited to have him,” said Perconti. The West End School has been open for 18 years, with the mission of providing a safe, structured environment for boys from low-income households alongside a tuition-free, private school education. More than 99 percent of the school’s alumni have gone on to graduate high school, with more than 70 percent of graduates going on to attend private schools on full scholarships. While the school currently serves around 140 students, the addition of the Girls School is expected to double the size of the stsudent body, allowing more students to be positively impacted by the academic program. For the past 17 years, the West End School has provided a safe and structured environment for boys in grades Pre- Kindergarten through eighth grade through a program where academic rigor, character development and responsible action create the foundation for a purposeful life. The school provides summer programming and weekday boarding. To learn more about the West End School, visit westendschool.org.
His ascent to the role of educator was founded in his focus on being a student. He holds multiple degrees, including a Doctorate in Education, Master of Arts in School Leadership-Superintendent, and Master of Arts in Education Administration. He also holds a Master of Arts in Recreation and Leisure Services. He obtained his Bachelors of Science degree at Oral Roberts University. Dr. Ross is the recipient of numerous awards, most recently the 2023 Vision Award in Danville and the 2022 KASA Executive Leadership Academy Award. He has served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown College and was athletic director/men’s basketball coach at Mid-Continent University. Dr. Ross’ arrival comes at a transformational time for the school. Last fall, the school announced that thanks to a generous donation from Brown-Forman Corporation, the school will be opening its doors to girls as soon as 2025. As part of Brown-Forman Corporation’s $50 million in educational grants announced in April 2022, the West End School will receive $20 million over the next ten years to help fund the West End School boys and girls operations. A capital campaign to raise $10 million was
Dr. Ross most recently served as superintendent of the Danville
Independent School District. Prior to that, he served as school principal at The Academy for Leadership at Millcreek Elementary in the Fayette County Public School district. He has also worked as a director within the Kentucky Department of Education and was principal in the Paducah Independent School district. “Dr. Ross is a visionary who has high aspirations for our students and school,” said Dan Hall, chairman of the West End School board. “He will demand excellence and equip our students with the tools they need to reach their highest potential. We are so blessed to have him lead our school into the future.” His passion for education and learning is exemplified by numerous positions he has held throughout his career that make him uniquely qualified to run the West End School. In previous roles, he served as a group home director, dorm director and residence advisor.
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