helby County Public Schools (SCPS) is proud to announce the appointment of Nate Jebsen as the new Director of Community Schools, a role made possible through a grant from the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. Jebsen brings more than two decades of experience in education, student support, and leadership to this position aimed at strengthening the connection between schools and the broader community.
Jebsen’s career in education spans twenty-two years, beginning with thirteen years in Jefferson County Public Schools, including eleven years as a Spanish teacher and two years supporting at-risk students in credit recovery and alternative school transitions—work that took place entirely at Southern High School. He joined SCPS nine years ago, where he served four years as assistant principal and five years as the head principal of Martha Layne Collins High School.
Jebsen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and religion from Centre College, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the University of Louisville, and an Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S), also from U of L.
In his new role, Jebsen will lead initiatives to foster partnerships between schools and community organizations, address non-academic barriers to student success, and support improved attendance and engagement across the district.
“I am excited to help grow partnerships between our schools and community as the new Director of Community Schools,” said Jebsen. “I look forward to other parts of the role as well, notably assisting students and families to overcome barriers to attendance and academic success.”
Superintendent Dr Josh Matthews expressed enthusiasm about the appointment: “First, I want to thank Mr. Jebsen for his work at Collins High School. I am thrilled that he will be our new Director of Community Schools,he will be outstanding in this role. Mr. Jebsen is a skilled communicator and a talented relationship builder. He will bring these strengths to the district office, where he will continue the excellent work initiated by Josh Rhodes. As a bilingual administrator, Mr. Jebsen will be well-positioned to develop strong relationships with our community members and business partners. I am excited for Mr. Jebsen and the future of our district.”
The Director of Community Schools position is part of a broader statewide initiative supported by the Prichard Committee to promote student success through school-community collaboration.