Frankfort Independent’s Jina Greathouse named 2025 Kentucky School Board Member of the Year

Jina Greathouse was not prepared for the eyes of nearly 1,000 school board members, superintendents and guests to zero in on her, or to hear the roar of applause that followed. The Frankfort Independent Schools board member had just been named the 2025 Kentucky School Board Member of the Year.

It was the first time since the award’s inception that the honoree was surprised by the announcement at the Kentucky School Boards Association’s (KSBA’s) Annual Conference. 

“Jina was in total shock, but her selection was no surprise to us,” said KSBA Executive Director Kerri Schelling.

Humble and relatively soft-spoken, Greathouse said she was honored to receive the association’s top award in February, but she is not sure if she is deserving. Instead, she is inclined to share it with those around her. 

“I’ve been fortunate to work alongside some pretty amazing people in our schools and on our board through the years,” Greathouse said. “This award is probably more a tribute to those that have been part of my journey than it is to me.”

As a 23-year veteran of the Frankfort board, Greathouse has served as chair and participated seemingly in every committee and taskforce imaginable. But, like many school board members, her leadership started as a parent volunteer. 

“When my daughters were students at Second Street School, I volunteered in their classrooms and eventually became active in the PTO (parent-teacher organization),” she said. “As I learned more about the school decision-making framework, I became more interested and wanted to be more involved.”

After several successful years as a school-based decision making (SBDM) council parent representative, board service seemed like the next step. She applied for a vacant board seat in 2002, eventually being appointed by the commissioner of education. Greathouse then ran successfully in a special election that fall and has served ever since. 

The move from school governance to district governance was not without its challenges. She was used to the SBDM discussions of academic data, instructional practices, school staffing, behavior, etc. Board service was decision-making at a higher altitude.

“As a new board member, we were discussing policy and budget,” Greathouse said. “It took a little while for me to become comfortable with the fact that the work of our board is so very impactful and material to student success, just from a different perspective.”

Greathouse said that, at first, she felt removed from the students compared to her time on the school council, but increasing the frequency of student recognitions during board meetings shortly thereafter made for a smoother transition. 

Leading by example

When she was first appointed, Greathouse was the only woman on the board. Today, the entire board is female, symbolic of just how much has occurred in the district over the past quarter century. 

Greathouse has seen many important milestones during her time on the board, including the development of Frankfort’s dual credit program with Kentucky State University, which allows students to take college courses at no charge. She also cites Frankfort Independent’s partnership with Cumberland Family Medical Center that has provided on-site primary and preventive care to students and staff. 

A partnership with Trailblazer Academy in Mercer County for Frankfort High Schools students interested in a career and technical education pathway – something that is not available to them locally – was a “gamechanger,” she said. 

And Greathouse beams with pride when talking about renovations to the F.D. Wilkinson Gymnasium.

“On the other hand,” she said, “we have had some watershed moments that caused us to pivot and explore our capacity for resilience.”

“We continue to address basic needs of our families as we become aware,” Greathouse said. “We are currently transporting some of our students from Shelby County each day.” 

Most of the district’s facilities were spared, but the rising Kentucky River caused damage to the Second Street School. In the weeks following the flooding, Greathouse could be found where her community has come to expect her: out front, leading by example. 

“Jina is all hands-on deck when there’s work to be done,” said Frankfort board member Donna Hecker. “Whether it’s moving stuff out of a flooded school basement, going through old files for discard, or cleaning up a concession stand, she’s there.” 

Greathouse’s round-the-clock presence did not rise and recede along with April’s floodwaters. Since her time as a school parent, she has been active and visible whenever the district has something going on.

“She is the board member that you can count on seeing at district events,” said Frankfort Superintendent Sheri Satterly. “Ball game, pageant, festival – it doesn’t matter the event, she is there.”

Being involved keeps her grounded and reminds her of her obligation to the students she was elected to serve, Greathouse said, an obligation that extends to the teachers and staff. 

“(Our employees) go above and beyond to meet students where they are, love them, teach them and encourage them,” she said. “So, when I have an opportunity to pitch in and work alongside staff, I’m honored to do it.”

That attitude follows her into the board room, where Greathouse is deliberate and decisive. Flanked by the other members of her board team, she presides with the confidence that comes from someone with experience and who has prepared for the meeting.

Greathouse regularly supports her fellow board members, including onboarding new members and offering her institutional knowledge.

“As a first term member – looking back – I marvel at how Jina has always been there to set the tone for board meetings, explain processes and policies and just generally be a guiding light for the rest of us,” Hecker said.

Greathouse’s helpfulness likely stems from her generosity and kindness. But it is more than that. She is ready to help her board peers to navigate often-difficult responsibilities to better serve students. 

“I believe local school board members should be held to a higher standard than the average elected official,” she said. “After all, we have a statutory mandate to provide an education for a most precious asset – our children.”

Data-driven, student-centered

In her nomination for School Board Member of the Year, Greathouse is described as data-driven and knowledgeable about board policy and education law. She is credited for her deep understanding of the district’s unique financial challenges that stem from operating in Kentucky’s capital city.

“Over 70% of the real estate value within our district is exempt from school taxes because most of it is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Hecker said. 

Greathouse for years has been sounding the alarm of the district’s unenviable financial situation, she said. The district’s limited tax base requires the board chair to be both savvy in budgeting and outspoken in advocating for adequate funding. 

“Ms. Greathouse always leads the board in the budgeting process and has lobbied with legislators and the Department of Revenue to communicate the dire need for supplemental funding for the FIS,” Satterfield said. 

Greathouse is also laser-focused on student assessment results, something she attributes to her time on her school council. As a staunch advocate for education equity, she studies the disaggregated data and remains mindful of the different needs of all students. 

“The most important thing to always keep in mind when analyzing data is that those numbers and percentages have faces and names,” she said.

Whether as a classroom volunteer, parent chaperone for field trips, SBDM representative or school board member, she has found fulfillment in seeing students connect with what they are learning and experiencing at Frankfort Independent. 

“I had the fortune to see students experience that ‘ah ha’ moment when they finally get it or see the relevance,” she said. “The facial expression and the light in the eyes is priceless. Those times touched my heart and stuck with me.”

Along the way, Greathouse has never sought the attention or accolades her involvement in the community have earned her. In fact, she works hard to elude the spotlight. 

“Jina generally keeps a low-key demeanor but don’t be fooled – there’s plenty of fire underneath,” Hecker said. “As she likes to say about Frankfort Independent, she’s tiny but mighty!”

Nevertheless, she is the strongest advocate any child could ever hope to have, Hecker said. 

About the award 

KSBA’s Kentucky School Board Member of the Year Award launched in 2021 to recognize the exemplary service of association members and to celebrate the critical roles school boards play in the advancement of public education in the Commonwealth. The honor is presented to a member for significant contributions to public education through service on a local school board. 

Nominees must be in at least their fifth year of school board service and be in good standing with state-mandated training requirements, among other qualifications. Nominees are carefully considered by a panel of judges comprised of former association presidents and previous award winners. Judges rank the candidates based on criteria such as leadership best practices, ethical standards, advocacy and understanding of district governance and operations. 

Nominations for the award typically open in September and close in early December, with the winner announced at the annual conference. 

Previous winners

• 2024 – Mike Waller, Henderson County
• 2023 – Chandra Varia, Floyd County
• 2022 – Carl LeBuhn, Paducah Independent

American Fidelity has sponsored the award since its inception in 2021. 

“The opportunity for American Fidelity to support recognition of school board members via the BMOY award is very valuable to us,” said American Fidelity State Manager Rebecca Combs. “Any chance that we have to be a part of highlighting the great work by individuals on behalf and in support of their districts only works to enhance the overall mission to better serve public education as a whole across the commonwealth.”

Districts are encouraged to nominate school board members for the 2026 award this fall. For more information visit the KSBA website. 

This article was originally published in the May 2025 edition of Kentucky School Advocate and has been republished with permission from the Kentucky School Boards Association.