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Lafayette High School
401 Reed Ln, Lexington, KY, 40503-1287 -  Map
tel: (859)381-3474
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School Overview:
Definition of Terms Lafayette High School
School Level High school
School Type Magnet School
Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Fayette County, KY
Students & Faculty
Total Students 2003 students
% Male / % Female 50%  /  50%
Total Classroom Teachers 109 teachers
Students by Grade
Grade 9 - 601 students
Grade 10 - 487 students
Grade 11 - 485 students
Grade 12 - 430 students
This School ( KY ) School Average
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:18 1:15
Students by Ethnicity
This School ( KY ) School Average
% American Indian n/a n/a
% Asian 2% 1%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Black 14% 10%
% White 77% 87%
Additional Student Information
This School ( KY ) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 23% 49%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 4% 8%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a n/a
School Performance:
( KY ) Statewide Testing Performance
School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District:
School District Name Fayette County School District
This School's Agency ( KY ) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 63 6
Number of Students Managed 32,072 students 2,333 students
District Total Revenue $309,792,000 $19,338,000
District Expenditure $303,493,000 $20,060,000
District Revenue / Student $9,659 $7,295
District Expenditure / Student $9,463 $7,098
District Graduation Rates 79% 91%
School Notes:
  • Lafayette Senior High School (LHS) is a public high school located in Lexington, Kentucky. The school is one of five high schools in the Fayette County Public Schools district. It is among the largest high schools in Kentucky.
  • Lafayette High School opened in 1939 to replace Picadome High School. The school was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who became famous during and after the Revolutionary War. The family of the Marquis de Lafayette granted the school permission to use their family Coat of Arms. For many years, Lafayette was considered the "county" school, with Henry Clay being the "city" school.
  • Academic Achievement: Lafayette has been widely recognized for a high level of academic achievement. The school has produced scores of National Merit Finalists. Students representing Lafayette have had repeated success in speech, debate, drama, and music competitions. The Lafayette Times and the Marquis have won many awards for excellence in student journalism. In 1986 and 1987 Lafayette won the Kentucky Governor's Cup, often seen as tantamount to the state academic championship.
  • Athletics: Lafayette's athletic teams have been among the most successful in Kentucky high school history. The school has claimed more than 50 Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) titles, including championships in boys basketball, baseball, boys and girls soccer, boys track, boys cross country, boys and girls gymnastics, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls golf, and boys and girls tennis.
  • Basketball: Lafayette's boys basketball team is generally regarded as one of the best programs in Kentucky prep history. LHS has claimed six state championships (1941, 1950, 1953, 1957, 1979, 2001) - a record matched only by arch-rival Henry Clay. Lafayette has won more than 1,200 games in its history, ranking high on Kentucky's all-time list.
  • Several former Lafayette basketball stars have gone on to play in college and the NBA. Lafayette's championship coaches include Maurice Jackson (1942), Ralph Carlisle (1950, 1953, 1957), Jock Sutherland (1979) and Don Adkins (2001).
  • Baseball: Lafayette has also had great success in baseball, winning three state championships (1988-89, 1992). Its teams have benefited greatly from the quality of youth feeder orgnizations, namely South Lexington (SLYB) and Dixie Youth Baseball.
  • Several former Lafayette baseball stars have enjoyed successful professional careers, including 1998 Kentucky Mr. Baseball winner Austin Kearns.
  • Soccer: Lafayette's boys and girls soccer teams have also achieved at a high level. The girls soccer team won a state championship in 1992, defeating northern Kentucky powerhouse Notre Dame. Lafayette was state runner-up to the girls title in 1994.
  • Coach Rick Kazec led the boys team to a state championship in 1990.
  • Football: Lafayette's football team has not excelled on the same level as its other sports programs. LHS did make an appearance in the 1985 4A State Championship game, but lost to Louisville powerhouse Trinity.
  • Recent years have seen an improvement in the program. In 2006, Lafayette finished the regular season undefeated, posting a 10-0 record. It was the program's best finish since the 1960's.
  • Lafayette plays its home football games at James D. Ishmael Stadium. Originally built in 1953, the facility has been expanded several times and seats more than 4,000, making it among the largest stadiums in the state.
  • Lafayette's oldest rival is crosstown high school Henry Clay. Paul Laurence Dunbar HS and Tates Creek HS are also rivals.
  • Band: The Lafayette Band is generally regarded as one of the premier music performance groups in the state of Kentucky.
  • The Lafayette Marching Band has won 14 Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) state titles (1990-2002, 2006). The marching band has competed at the Bands of America (BOA) Grand National Championships several times, making the finals in 1995 and 2004. The band has also competed at several BOA Regional contests, reaching the finals at least once every year since 1995. The band has also claimed the Grand Champion title at the famed Contest of Champions in Murfreesboro, TN nine times (1975-76, 1978-79, 1990-94).
  • In addition, the band has performed twice at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City (1991, 2002).
  • While the Lafayette Band has always enjoyed a successful reputation, the program reached its pinnacle during the early 1990's. Under the direction of Steve Moore, the band claimed numerous marching contest titles, winning several consecutive state championships.
  • The 1993 season produced what many regard as the finest marching band show in Kentucky history, "Polovetzian Dances". The band finished the season undefeated and beat rival McGavock High School by nearly 10 whole points at the Contest of Champions. The 4A class state championship was never in doubt and Lafayette easily claimed the title.
  • The band's 1994 rendition of "Les Miserables" is also highly regarded and often lauded among band enthusiasts.
  • Charles "Chuck" Smith is the current band director. The Lafayette Band's historical rivals include: Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, North Hardin HS (Radcliff, Ky.), and McGavock HS (Nashville, TN).
  • Senior Class Live: The highly popular follies production "Senior Class Live" was initiated in the late 1970's by Lafayette teacher Tim Carson. The majority of Lafayette's senior class participates in the show each year and most of the performances sell out.
  • Notable alumni: Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher .
  • Former Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown, Jr.
  • Sports broadcaster Tom Hammond .
  • Actor Harry Dean Stanton .
  • Actor Jim Varney .
  • Professional golfer Gay Brewer .
  • Major League Baseball star Austin Kearns .
  • Tyson Gay, sprint racer .
  • Maria Maldonado, Miss Kentucky 2004.
  • Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL
  • Lafayette's band won KY State Champion Title for 2006
  • Add information about this school (e.g., awards, news stories, notable alumni, fun facts)
 
School Zip Code:
About This Zip Code (40503)
School Zip (40503) (KY) State Average
Population (Approximate) 27,420 people 3,722,511 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 48% 15%
Population Average Age 37 years old 35.9 years old
Average Household size 2.3 persons 2.3 persons
Median Household Income $46,128 $35,205
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 6.1 rooms 5.4 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 44 years old 37 years old
View current housing listings in 40503
% Owning / % Renting 70% / 30% 67% / 33%
School Map:
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  Nearby Schools:
1. Tates Creek High School - 1646 students - view location
2. Southside Technical Center - n/a - view location
3. Henry Clay High School - 2094 students - view location
4. Bryan Station High School - 1344 students - view location
5. Eastside Technical Center - n/a - view location
View all schools in: Lexington Town, Fayette County, Zip 40503 
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Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources. School data reflects years 2002-04 statistics (most recent years available). Area and demographic data reflects year 2000 statistics. Public School Review does not ensure the timeliness or accuracy of the information on this site.

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