ACES Program Brochure - Jefferson County Public Schools

JEFFERSON COUNTY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
For more information,
contact JCPS Human
Resources at:
Telephone: (502) 485-3745
Fax: (502) 485-6400
www.jcpsky.net
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities
80044 HR–ACES Program brochure (rev.) 3/10 DH

The ACES
Teacher Certification Program
Change Your Life. Be a Teacher!
A Program Designed to Produce a
Diverse Cadre of Quality Teachers
Have you always wanted to teach, but life took you
down a different path? Was quitting your day job to
become a student teacher not an option? Or did you
think getting certification would take too long or be
financially out of reach?
Join the more than 200 successful teachers in Jefferson
County Public Schools (JCPS) who have been
trained through the Alternative Certification Elementary
and Secondary (ACES) Program.
ACES offers adults with a bachelor’s degree the opportunity
to become certified teachers—in just 18
months! Participants receive personalized instruction
and assistance throughout the process to help them
be successful. In return, ACES teachers commit to
teach in JCPS.
How to Apply
ACES is a rigorous, challenging program. Only the
most committed applicants are accepted. The journey
begins by applying. Here’s how:
• Complete the JCPS online employment application
at www.jcpsky.net/employment.html.
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and
universities attended.*
• Provide three professional references.* You may
also upload letters of recommendation from these
individuals.
• Provide a teacher-writing sample (three pages maximum)
explaining what you want to teach and why.
The deadline to apply is early fall.
Qualified applicants are scheduled for personal interviews
and a writing assessment. Candidates who are
selected to continue in the screening process must
also pass a pretest of general knowledge. Additional
requirements include:
• Pretraining workshop activities.
• Earning a passing score on the PRAXIS exam(s).
* Grade point average, major (area of concentration), and work history will be
considered during the screening process.
During the summer, candidates who meet these
criteria participate in eight weeks of intensive training
and subsequent job interviews with principals and
school councils.** (A stipend is provided for the training
days.)
Once selected for a teaching assignment, participants
continue their training by attending classes and
seminars after school, observing experienced master
teachers, conducting research, and participating in
related projects.
Some Facts About ACES
• The ACES Program is unique to JCPS. In fact, JCPS is
the only school district in Kentucky that can prepare
teachers for certification.
• Since 1993, the ACES Program has helped more
than 200 people become teachers, many of whom
have become school and central office administrators.
• The ACES Program graduates nearly 100 percent of
the candidates who are admitted into the program.
** Participants who are selected by a school sign a contract for employment
and receive a salary and benefits for the school year.
Benefits of Teaching in JCPS
• A competitive base salary for a new teacher with a
bachelor’s degree
• A Fringe Benefit Pool of 3.5 percent
• Paid leave days:
— Ten sick days
— Three personal days
— Two emergency days
— Four paid holidays
• Paid set-up, professional-development, and Parent-
Teacher Conference days
• Extra-service opportunities
• Participation in the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement
System
• Health benefits provided by the Commonwealth of
Kentucky
— Individual health insurance (with options to buy
family plans)
— Two life insurance policies
— Long-term disability policy
— Flexible spending accounts
In addition, teachers may purchase optional benefits,
including tax-sheltered annuities and policies for
supplemental health, dental, vision, accidental death
and dismemberment, cancer, and home and auto
insurance.
Mashelle
Kiggins
Principal
“The nurturing
support I received
helped me to be
successful.”
Omar Morris
Counselor
“The ACES
Program was a
door opener.
It put me on a
path to a career
that has become
my life.”
Morris Anthony
Howard
Teacher
“I recommend the
program because the
professionalism of the
staff, the rigor of the learning
experience, and
the tools they give you
prepare you for real
situations that you will
encounter as a teacher.”
Sandra
Marshall
Teacher
“The ACES
Program
brings a variety
of backgrounds
to the
classroom.”
Cheryl
Rigsby
Principal
“The ACES
teachers have
a really great
understanding
of what children
need. Simply
put, they are
top-notch.”