Topping recently completed JCPS’ Principal Internship program
By Juliann Morris
January 26, 2023–Longtime Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) educator and assistant principal Karen Topping understands and recognizes the value of diversity and inclusivity in a school community.
She has spent her 17-year career at JCPS working in schools with large populations of multilingual learners, where students’ varying educational experiences, languages, and cultural backgrounds enrich the educational experience, she said.
On February 6, Topping will become the new principal at Auburndale Elementary and get a chance to lead a school where nearly half of students are English learners and 71 percent identify as non-White.
“I’m a passionate educator, and the diversity at Auburndale was a driving force behind my decision to take on this new role,” she said. “I want to be an advocate for all students at Auburndale. I will recognize and value the assets our students and their families bring not only language-wise, but also through their cultural identities, experiences, and perspectives.”
Topping began her career at Wilkerson Elementary School, where she worked as a teacher and an assistant principal. She also worked as an assistant principal at Newcomer Academy and Goldsmith Elementary before becoming a principal intern at Kenwood Elementary School in 2022.
“Karen Topping is a participative leader who believes in ensuring that all stakeholders are included in the school community and are involved in the decision-making process,” said Dr. LaMesa Marks-Johns, assistant superintendent of elementary schools, Zone 1. “She has a growth and inclusive mindset, is a good communicator, and believes that all students have the ability to perform at high academic levels.”
Topping earned an Education Specialist degree, Rank I, master’s degree with ESL endorsement, and bachelor’s degree with learning behavior disorders and elementary certification, all from the University of Louisville.
She has also participated in multiple JCPS leadership development programs during her time with the district, she said. For the past year, she has been learning and growing as a participant in the Jefferson County Leadership Academy (JCLA), which offers aspiring administrators workshops and programming to introduce them to the duties and expectations of an assistant principal and principal, along with mentoring and internship opportunities. Through that program, Topping got to work as a principal intern at Kenwood Elementary with support from a principal mentor, coach, and the JCLA executive director.
“The internship experience alone has been life-changing in many ways,” Topping said. “It has allowed me to shift from my day-to-day assistant principal responsibilities to fully understand the power principals have to inspire, engage, and empower their staff and how visionary leadership is essential to propel a school forward.”
As Topping settles into her new role, she said she’ll focus initially on building strong relationships with Auburndale students, staff, and community members.
“I want to make it a place where everyone feels like they are home, like they don’t want to be anywhere else but at Auburndale,” she said. “Long-term, we’re going to take that feeling of home and capitalize on the strengths in our community to strive for educational excellence.”