JCPS Rotary Bridge Program
The Rotary Bridge Program helps prepare seniors in Jefferson County Public Schools for the transition from high school to college. Rotary Bridge allows students to have an on-campus experience taking college classes while still receiving support from their high school counselor and other administrators. Enrollment is limited to 40 students.
Program Specifics
Students in Rotary Bridge take college classes at Jefferson's Southwest Campus. The classes count towards both high school graduation and grade point average. Classes also count towards a college degree and become a permanent part of the college record.
In the fall semester students enroll in 3-4 classes. Students will take 4 classes in the Spring semester. Classes will be in the following subject areas: Communication: Written and Oral, Quantitative Reasoning, Behavioral Science, Natural Science and Humanities. These classes apply toward the general education requirements.
Classes are 75 minutes long and will meet between 9:10 AM and 1:25 PM. Classes normally meet one or two days per week. Student schedules will have exact days, times, and room locations for each class and will be distributed at orientation.
Most students will only take classes at the college while participating in Bridge and will not need to go to their high school except for occasional check-ins with their counselor. While participating in Rotary Bridge, students remain connected to their home high school and may still participate in sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. Students will graduate and receive a diploma from their home high school.
Classes taken in the Rotary Bridge program will follow the Jefferson academic calendar and not the high school calendar. This means that there will be times when students are expected to attend college classes even though the high school is not in session. For example, fall break and spring break do not match up between the college and high school calendars (Jefferson Academic Calendar). Also note that college classes will start on different dates than classes at the high school. Classes at the college start later in August and end earlier in December for the fall term and start later in January and end earlier in May for the spring term.
Cost and Transportation
The Bridge program is provided at no cost to students through scholarships provided by KHEAA and a generous grant from the Rotary Club of Louisville. Students are required to apply to KHEAA to use any remaining courses from their dual credit scholarship for their Bridge classes. Any courses remaining will be covered by the grant from the Rotary Club. High school counselors can assist any student needing help applying for their KHEAA dual credit scholarship.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Jefferson’s Southwest Campus. The college provides free parking permits to dual credit students who drive to campus.
Textbooks and Materials
Basic class materials (notebooks, pen/pencil, calculators, etc.) are the responsibility of the student. The syllabus for each class will list any required or suggested materials. It is advised to wait until the syllabus is received to purchase any materials, however, students are expected to come to class prepared with a notebook and something to write with.
Textbooks for classes will be provided to students at the kickoff event prior to the start of the semester. All textbooks are on loan and must be returned to the Jefferson Dual Credit Office at the end of each semester. Textbooks not returned will result in a fee to the student.
Eligibility
The Bridge program is only for JCPS seniors (apply during the Junior year). Students must meet Jefferson’s college readiness benchmarks. Students may demonstrate college readiness with a 3.0 cumulative unweighted high school GPA or through qualifying ACT or other approved placement test scores (ACT Math 19, English 18, and Reading 20).
Important Dates
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| April 19 | Deadline to complete the Rotary Bridge program application below |
| May 3 | Complete KCTCS Application and JCTC Dual Credit Agreement with a parent/guardian. |
| June 13 | 5:00-7:00 PM – In person student orientation at the Southwest Campus (Required for those unable to attend on May 10). Date tentative. Invitation will be sent one week prior to event. |
| August 14 | 10:00-12:00 PM – In person Fall Semester Kickoff at the Southwest Campus (Required) |
| August 19 | Beginning of the Fall Semester |
| January 13 | Beginning of the Spring Semester |
FAQs
Students need to take 3-4 classes in the Fall and 4 classes in the Spring. In the fall semester, students enroll in 3-4 classes: ENG 101 Writing 1, MAT 146 Contemporary College Math, and HIS 108 US History and/or ANT 160 Cultural Diversity in the Modern World. In the spring semester, students enroll in 4 classes: HUM 120 Introduction to Humanities, COM 181 Public Speaking, SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology, and Natural Science TBD.
For students who cannot commit to enrolling in 3-4 courses in the Bridge program, there is the option to take fewer courses by signing up for dual credit courses outside of the Bridge initiative. For detailed information on dual credit at Jefferson, visit the dual credit page.
The Bridge program is provided at no cost to students through scholarships provided by KHEAA and a generous grant from the Rotary Club of Louisville.
Students can use the Learning Commons at the Southwest campus. The Learning Commons is available for all your library and tutoring needs. Whether you're looking for a resource, guidance with research, a tutoring session, or feedback on a paper, the Learning Commons can help. Take advantage of this free service!
Meet with a tutor to set goals and take control of your learning.
Study at the Learning Commons, and use our computers and study rooms, print, and more.
Please contact jf-dualcredit-office@kctcs.edu with any questions or information you need.
Program Application
Applications for 2025 Rotary Bridge will open in Spring of 2025.
