FCS Unscripted
Sharing information about, and the stories behind, #Every1 in Franklin County Schools in Frankfort, Kentucky.
FCS Unscripted
From Student to Leader: Jennifer Kantner's Role in Shaping Franklin County Schools and Community Engagement
Jennifer Kantner's journey from local student to board chair of Franklin County Schools is both inspiring and deeply personal. Growing up in Frankfort and now guiding the educational future for her two daughters, Jennifer offers a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of ensuring quality education. As she steps into her role, she candidly shares what it’s like to be a key decision-maker, highlighting the joys of school visits and graduations while tackling the tougher side of the position, such as managing community complaints. Her collaboration with the superintendent underscores her dedication to community engagement and educational excellence.
But Jennifer’s impact extends beyond board meetings. Her commitment to community service shines through her work with the Daughters of the American Revolution and as co-founder of the Imagination Library of Frankfort, where she fosters literacy by delivering books to young children. Amidst discussions of new local projects like Western Hills’ auxiliary gym, we also explore her personal side—from her love for "The Princess Bride" and pizza to her fondness for Hallmark movies. Jennifer Kantner isn’t just shaping Franklin County Schools; she’s a beacon of service and passion, influencing her community in multifaceted ways.
Welcome to FCS Unscripted, a new podcast for One Team, FCS, where we look at the stories behind everyone in Franklin County schools. Hello everyone, this is Superintendent Kopp and I wanted to welcome you again to another episode of FCS Unscripted. This is our podcast that we do to share the stories of everyone in Franklin County. Today is a special episode. We love to do board member spotlights. We have five amazing board members who always put students first, which I truly, truly appreciate as superintendent. And today we are blessed to be joined by our new board chair, Jennifer Cantner. Jennifer, welcome.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Well, we are going to dive into what you love about being a board member and get to know you a little bit. So I wanted to say thank you for joining us this morning and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 2:I grew up here in Frankfurt. I went to Hearn Elementary School, which is the current Early Learning Village building. Don't get confused by that. I went to Elkhorn Middle School and then I graduated from Franklin County High School on the east side of town.
Speaker 1:That's fantastic. And the new ELV is the old Hearn, that's right, yeah, exactly Two ELV is the old hern, that's right, yeah, exactly. So you know, being a board member and we've talked about this with our other board members before sometimes it's kind of a thankless job, but it's also incredibly rewarding, I would imagine. So why did you want to become a board member?
Speaker 2:So I have two girls in elementary school right now, so I have a vested interest in what goes on in the school system here in Franklin County. They both love going to school and I always enjoyed going to school and so I wanted to keep that going for all of our, all of the students in Franklin County schools and just to get involved in the process. I don't work full time, so I had the time and the opportunity to join the board and I guess I can talk a little bit about how I started. So there was actually a vacancy. Here's your Frankfurt civics lesson of the day.
Speaker 2:The five board members actually are divided up by area of town, kind of like a congressional district. So I live in District 5, and that's the district that I represent. And so the person who used to represent District 5, ms Lyle, who's still on the board, she actually moved from District 5 to District 3. So she had to run for District 3. Right, and then when she won that there was a vacancy in District 5. And when there's a vacancy that there was a vacancy in District 5. And when there's a vacancy, you can apply for it and the other board members actually choose who fills that vacancy.
Speaker 1:Right, and so you went through that application process. They almost like a job interview.
Speaker 2:they interviewed you? Yes, we had an interview.
Speaker 1:Yep, and then, after they selected you to fill that seat, then I believe you ran. You filled out the rest of that year and then you had to run again.
Speaker 2:Right. So I was appointed in February of 22 and then I had to run in November of 22 for the calendar year 2023. Then I ran in 2023 for the four year term.
Speaker 1:And I ran in 2023 for the four-year term Right, so that's interesting and in terms of being a board member.
Speaker 2:what is the best part about being a board member? My favorite board meetings are the ones that we do in the schools, which are our working meetings, and we do those. We rotate through all of the schools and I just love seeing the students. I love hearing what they're doing, hearing from the principals as to what's going on in their school. Those are my favorite board meetings. And then my favorite events of the year are our graduations. To watch the students and the parents celebrate that milestone in a student's life, that's just really rewarding. To sit on the stage and watch all the students come through.
Speaker 1:It is, and you know it's a blessing that you all, as a board, approved the construction of the new grandstands at each of our high schools, which gives us now seating for over 3,000 people at each of our high schools. So, graduations, in terms of attendance, we've filled them each year and we're really excited about moving forward and again hoping and praying for great weather every year.
Speaker 2:Every year.
Speaker 1:So what would you feel is the most challenging aspect of being a board member?
Speaker 2:I'd say the most challenging aspect is kind of going through receiving complaints or hearing about problems from parents and teachers and principals, and it's stuff that we can't easily fix, whether it's a policy change or it's a, you know, a situation that's just difficult to maneuver and manage. There are always things that sometimes we just can't do anything about and those are the hardest things to maneuver with parents.
Speaker 1:And you're kind of restricted as a board member in terms of some of the things that you can do. You know, some of the things you have to share with me as the superintendent and it's my job to try to, you know, to try to get those things done, and that's that's always something that's that's challenging. Has that been something that has been a an easy transition for you as you've kind of gotten onto the board?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, you know, easy. It's harder to explain to everybody the roles, the things that we can and cannot do as board members. That's the the community. A lot of people in the community don't understand exactly what our role is, and so sometimes it's just explaining that role when someone comes to me with a problem.
Speaker 1:Right, exactly, and you're blessed that you actually sit on a couple of different boards and organizations. I know that you work with the Daughters of the American Revolution. Is that still something that you're doing?
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm a member of the Frankfurt chapter here in Frankfurt of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Speaker 1:And then, of course, Dolly. We got to talk about Dolly.
Speaker 2:Everybody loves Dolly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so kind of talk about your involvement with that.
Speaker 2:So actually, a friend of mine and I actually founded the Imagination Library of Frankfurt. It's our local affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program. This was during COVID and I got together with a friend and I said hey, we don't have this in Frankfort, can we do this? So we created a board, we did all of the work to create a 501c3. And we started mailing books in April of 2022 to students in Franklin County students they're under five, so they would be preschoolers and babies and since then I think we've mailed over 38,000 books.
Speaker 1:It's amazing. I remember the announcement of that and how excited everyone was here and, you know, getting books in the hands of kids the most important thing that we can do, in my opinion, at least in terms of you know, that was something that, with my own daughter, we made sure that we read to her every single night, and I think one of the reasons that you have, you know, have strong literacy programs is you got to start them early.
Speaker 2:That's right. Other communities where the program, where the Imagination Library, has been for years, they've actually seen their kindergarten readiness scores change and so that's our goal, that in five to seven years we see those numbers changing in Franklin County.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely, and as a board member, one of the things that you do have purview over is you all make the decisions on what are the next facility projects that we're going to undertake, and right now we're kind of in the beginning stages of several projects. What are some of the facilities projects that are either taking place right now or will be taking place that you're most excited about?
Speaker 2:So I live on the west side of town and I drive over Bonner at Western Hills area a lot, so it's been great to see the auxiliary gym at Western Hills go up it's. You know, the steel is up and they're working on it every day, so that's exciting to see People on the east side. Be sure, and drive by Franklin County between the school and the football field. You'll see it going up over there and it's just really exciting to see construction happen.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:I'm really excited about the new Elkhorn Elementary School. I've kind of been in on the design phase of that, and so it's going to be neat to see it through to completion, yep, from the purchase of the land to the designing of the building and then construction once it gets underway.
Speaker 1:The fact that that building is going to sit on the banks of the Elkhorn Creek. I mean that's pretty special.
Speaker 2:Their views are going to be amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're very excited about that project. There's been an awful lot of plan and design that goes into that. It's a little bit different in some respects from, say, building a house or whatever. You might have a house planned and you take it to your builder and say, I want to build this and they might be able to knock that out in eight, nine months. Building a school is a little bit different. It takes a little longer, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Takes a little longer.
Speaker 1:yes, and so we've been through a lot of planning and design, and we're looking forward to breaking ground sometime this spring.
Speaker 2:Let's hope the weather cooperates.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely All right. Well, you're kind of off of the hot seat now. Now it just goes to the fun questions. Are you ready? I'm ready. These are what we like to call fun facts. So fun facts. With Jennifer Cantner, our new board chair. I might mix these up a little. What is your favorite movie of all time?
Speaker 2:I might mix these up a little. What is your favorite movie of all time? I love lots of movies and I watch a lot of movies over and over again, but one of my favorites is the Princess Bride.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yep, that's one of my favorites as well. Do you have a favorite character or line in that movie? I'm just curious.
Speaker 2:As you wish.
Speaker 1:See, I'm more of a. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father Wish.
Speaker 2:See, I'm more of a. My name is Inigo Montoya you killed my father.
Speaker 1:That's a good one too. Prepare to die A great movie. What's your favorite food?
Speaker 2:Favorite food is pizza.
Speaker 1:Oh, no question.
Speaker 2:No question. And do you have a favorite place in town? Of course I do. Of course you do.
Speaker 1:What is it I eat at lots of pizza places, but the way to Da Vinci's, and they do a wonderful job in our community. So a big fan myself there, all right. What about a television show of all time? What is your favorite, either?
Speaker 2:one that's been on the networks or is a streaming show. So when I was in college you know we watched ER and Friends in that like Thursday night lineup. Now I watch a lot of Hallmark Channel at my house, so there's usually a Hallmark movie on if you're at my house.
Speaker 1:Hopefully a Christmas movie that's always. Those are. Those are some of my favorites. My wife is not a big fan of the Hallmark Christmas movies, but I am, so you know. All right. What about music? What would be your favorite style of music or your favorite performer?
Speaker 2:So my favorite style I usually listen to like Christian, contemporary Christian music now in the car because I do have two young girls, but back in the day it was, it was pop and rap and I'm not a heavy metal person, but generally everything else I can listen to.
Speaker 1:Right there with you. Right there with you. And the last one, we're going to go breakfast cereals here. What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
Speaker 2:Captain Crunch.
Speaker 1:So I'm a big Captain Crunch fan. Do you like the Crunch Berries or just the regular?
Speaker 2:No, just regular, plain, traditional, captain Crunch.
Speaker 1:I'm down. I like the Crunch Berries, you know, but it does, you know, get on the roof of your mouth a little bit there, but well.
Speaker 2:Ms Kanner Pay for it the next day.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. We are so pleased that you joined us today and you're officially off the hot seat, and I appreciate the job personally that you do as board chair and as a board member. So thank you, thank you for your service and thanks for being on the show we appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Thanks a lot.
Speaker 1:Well, that wraps it up for this week's episode of FCS Unscripted. Thank you for listening in and I encourage you to subscribe and follow this weekly podcast where we will share updates, information and interviews with hashtag everyone the wonderful students and staff who make up One Team, fcs. Have a great week everybody.