Meet Keisha Fulson, principal of the West End's new Perry Elementary
An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Perry's Elementary's future mascot, based on information provided by the principal. The school will have a puma as its mascot.
At the end of this school year, Wheatley Elementary students will leave their school, to reunite in August in a brand new building, with a new name, mascot and school colors.
Keisha Fulson, who will lead the new West End elementary, said the new building will be the chance for her students to "be a part of something that represents them."
She said Wheatley students, right now, "feel like their school doesn’t look like other schools."
She has worked for Jefferson County Public Schools for 13 years, the last six at Wheatley as a principal and assistant principal. She is from Louisville and graduated from the district's Western High School in Shively.
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But the new building on Broadway - named Perry Elementary - was designed based in part on student suggestions, she said.
While Wheatley's current school colors are red and black, students pushed for Perry's colors to be orange and turquoise. A student survey brought about Perry's school mascot, with a puma receiving the most votes.
"A lot of the things you'll see in our new school will come from suggestions that students have given me," Fulson said. "I tried to make sure I've engaged them every step of the way."
"They are truly excited about having more windows," she added.
Aside from the new environment, Fulson said she hopes to increase the community's engagement with Perry Elementary.
"We have not had a new school in this area in some years, so right now what we are doing, we are trying to give back to the community," she said. "We are trying to bring the community back into the school."
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She plans to conduct surveys to find "opportunities for parents to come and get involved more." All of her students are expected to attend Perry in the fall, which is being built at Broadway and 18th Street, about a mile from where Wheatley's location on South 17th Street.
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The school is named after William Perry Sr., a Louisville native who was Kentucky's first Black board-certified physician. That name, Fulson said, aligns with the school's mission.
"A place where education is expected but excellence is required," she said.
Perry is one of three new schools opening this fall. One of those, Hudson Middle, will temporarily open inside the Wheatley building, with the district planning to start building a new West End middle school next year.
Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Meet Keisha Fulson, principal of Louisville's new Perry Elementary
