Longtime Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) educator Faith Stroud has won a national award in recognition of her exceptional leadership and impact in the education field.
The National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) awarded Stroud, the district's Director of Leadership and Professional Development, the 2024 Marcus Foster Distinguished Educator Award.
Stroud called it “an honor” to be recognized by her peers and said the award is not necessarily about her, but about the collective work of the various schools and staff members who have led with her.
“Any change or any success I’ve ever had was always because of the collective efficacy and the collective push I received from the staff members I worked with,” Stroud said. “This recognition gives me confirmation that I’m doing the right thing.”
Stroud has spent the majority of her 24-year career in JCPS serving schools with high-need environments “where students needed me the most.” She joined JCPS in 2000 and worked for more than 10 years in schools labeled Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools in various roles.
In 2021, JCPS received a grant from the Wallace Foundation to help build district leadership pipelines. Stroud has led that grant, establishing the Jefferson County Leadership Academy with programming for aspiring assistant principals and principals.
“I’m really proud that within the past three years, we have identified pathways for those who want to become certified leaders,” Stroud said. “I feel really good about the fact that we’re helping develop equity-centered leaders who are having an impact on students.”
The NABSE Marcus Foster Distinguished Educator Award is bestowed upon individuals or organizations who have exercised exceptional leadership qualities and who, through their talents, have made systematic impacts in the field of education.
For Stroud, she’s most proud of her unwavering commitment to roll up her sleeves in high-needs environments “and put strategies in place to close achievement, access, and opportunity gaps.”
“I’m going to continue to try to impact students in Jefferson County through the development of high-quality leaders in the district,” Stroud said. “I’m going to keep doing that important work because our students deserve it. Our students are worth whatever it takes.”