JCPS Board Picks Educator Joseph Marshall To Fill Vacant District 4 Seat

The Jefferson County Board of Education has selected Joseph L. Marshall to fill the District 4 seat recently vacated by Benjamin Gies.

District 4 includes the neighborhoods of Shively, Cane Run, Pleasure Ridge Park and Valley Station.

According to a press release, Marshall is a teacher at the West End School, and a graduate of the University of Louisville. He also previously taught for Jefferson County Public Schools.  In his application, he wrote about the importance of public schools to the community.

“Our board was incredibly impressed with the quality of the candidates who applied to fill the District 4 vacancy, particularly the five candidates the board interviewed earlier this week,” Board Chair Diane Porter said in the press release. “Mr. Marshall was an amazing candidate, and it is clear that he is passionate about education and student success. He loves children and he tells you that. Everything was guided by education when he talked to us.”

Marshall is expected to be sworn in during the board's regular meeting next week. But because of the timing, he'll also have to run for election this November. The winner of that election will fill the seat for a year, and then have to run for reelection in 2020, due to the seat’s regularly scheduled term. At that point, the candidate who is voted in will serve a four-year term.