School ProfileNoe Middle School has been educating middle school students for more than 30 years. Created as a unique, state-of-the-art teaching facility, Noe has, throughout its history, maintained a reputation dedicated to achieving the optimum in educational standards. The school was named for Samuel V. Noe, a past superintendent of the Louisville City Schools; the initial purpose of Noe's conception is perhaps best described in an excerpt from the school's 1974 Program of Dedication:
"In keeping with the goals and aspirations of the complex, Noe Middle is attempting to achieve the ultimate in teaching and learning through the development and perpetuation of highly innovative instructional programming."
In the 1980s, Noe's unique curriculum was enhanced by its being designated as a Learning Choice School. This initiative provided the school with the opportunity to develop the outstanding Visual and Performing Arts Program that has earned it national recognition. The enactment of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 1990 challenged Kentucky schools with new academic standards -- a challenge that Noe vigorously embraced. It also was during this past decade that Noe earned the prestigious honor of being named a Kentucky Blue Ribbon School in 1995 and a National Magnet School of Merit in 1997.
New challenges await us this millennium. With the statewide goal of "proficiency for all students by 2014," Noe continues to make steady progress toward the future by consistently making gains in our CATS scores and by implementing new and creative ways to close the achievement gap.
Perhaps one of the most unique features of Noe is the diversity of its student population. With 45 percent of the student population coming from within Noe's resides area and other designated programs and 55 percent from enrollment in Magnet programs, virtually every zip code in Jefferson County is represented. Noe further enhances the diversity of its student body by housing one of the district's largest middle school English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Approximately 10 percent of the student population are recent immigrants, from many countries who speak about 20 different languages from around the world.
Walk through the hallways and classrooms of Noe Middle School and you will see adolescents at their best. In a social studies classroom, they are writing elegies about Pericles, Socrates, Cleisthenes, and other famous Greeks. In a science classroom, they are designing, building, and writing about new exhibits for the Louisville Zoo, with the final products judged by the zoo's curators. In an art classroom, they are creating a tile mural based on students' photographs in the school yearbook. In another classroom, immigrant students, who speak 18 different native languages, spend part of the day learning English and the rest of the day interacting with their American-born peers in mathematics and other core courses.
Diversity, creativity, and academic excellence these are the hallmarks of Noe Middle School. By providing challenging courses and recognizing the individual talents of each child, Noe prepares students for the demands of high school while honoring their youthful enthusiasm and desire to make a difference in the world.
With about 1,300 students, Noe is one of the largest and most diverse middle schools in Jefferson County. Noe's offerings include the district's only Gifted and Talented Magnet at the middle school level, the Advance Program, the English as a Second Language Program (ESL), the Exceptional Child Education (ECE) Program, and a special emphasis within the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program.
Noe is conveniently located near duPont Manual High School and the University of Louisville in historic Old Louisville. Opened in 1974 as the Jefferson County's Public School District's first middle school, Noe uses an award-winning, open-space design to encourage active learning and collaboration among students and staff.
Noe offers a challenging curriculum for all students -- Advance, Gifted and Talented, and Comprehensive programs -- in an open environment. As part of the middle school philosophy, students are assigned to academic teams where they receive instruction in the areas of mathematics, language arts, reading, science, and social studies. Technology is integrated into all curriculum areas. Academic teams consist of three to four teachers and 90 to 120 students. Exceptional Child Education (ECE) units also are included on some teams. Teams schedule their own students in academic classes, which allows for greater flexibility in addressing students' individual needs. The only middle school in the district to provide the Gifted and Talented Magnet Program.
Noe Middle School has been educating middle school students for more than 30 years. Created as a unique, state-of-the-art teaching facility, Noe has, throughout its history, maintained a reputation dedicated to achieving the optimum in educational standards. Named for Samuel V. Noe, a past Louisville City Schools superintendent, the initial purpose of Noe's conception is perhaps best described in an excerpt from the school's 1974 Program of Dedication:
"In keeping with the goals and aspirations of the complex, Noe Middle is attempting to achieve the ultimate in teaching and learning through the development and perpetuation of highly innovative instructional programming." How appropriate it was that in October of this celebratory year, one of our faculty members was presented with a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award of $25,000, one of only four awarded in the state.
In the 1980's, Noe's unique curriculum was enhanced by its being designated as a Learning Choice School. This initiative provided the school with the opportunity to develop the outstanding Visual and Performing Arts Program that has earned it national recognition. With the enactment of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 1990, this current decade has challenged Kentucky schools with new academic standards a challenge that Noe has vigorously embraced. It also was during this past decade that Noe earned the prestigious honor of being named a Kentucky Blue Ribbon School in 1995, and a national Magnet School of Merit in 1997.
Perhaps one of the most unique features of Noe is the diversity of its student population. With 45 percent of the student population coming from within Noe's resides area and 55 percent from enrollment in Optional and Magnet programs, virtually every zip code in Jefferson County is represented. Noe further enhances the diversity of its student body by housing the District's largest middle school English as a Second Language (ESL) Program. Approximately 10 percent of the student population are recent immigrants, representing many different countries and speaking more than 20 languages.
During the past 30 years, many changes have taken place, including changes in global politics; urban development and renewal; family structures; theories of adolescent development; and teaching philosophies. Thousands of students have passed through Noe's doors. Many new teachers have begun their careers here, and several have dedicated the greatest part of their teaching career to Noe's students. What hasn't changed is our commitment to innovative teaching strategies and the ongoing desire to provide for middle school students the most rewarding middle school experience possible!