Atherton High School (Kentucky)

Atherton High School is a public school in the Highlands district of Louisville, Kentucky, United States, and is part of the Jefferson County Public School district. It opened in 1924^[5] as J.M. Atherton High School for Girls at 1418 Morton Avenue. It is named after John McDougal Atherton,^[5] a local businessman and politician who was instrumental in changing Louisville's school system administration from trustees to a board of education. The school became coeducational in 1950.^[5]

Atherton High School
Location
3000 Dundee Road Louisville , Kentucky 40205 United States
Coordinates	38°12′46″N 85°41′17″W
Information
Type	Public
Motto	"What you do makes a difference."
Established	1924
School district	Jefferson County Public Schools
Principal	Stephanie Fluhr
Teaching staff	80.03 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,496 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	18.69[1]
Color(s)	Maroon and gold     [2]
Nickname	Ravens[3][2]
Website	www.jefferson.kyschools.us/schools/profiles/atherton
[4]

Atherton moved to its current site in 1962 on the old Ray and Charles Clagett estate and its old premises is now the Jefferson County Traditional Middle School.^[6] A new wing was added to the Dundee location in 1992. In 2024, it was announced that Atherton High School is slated to get $54 million worth for upgrades and renovations.^[7]

Atherton offers an International Studies Program and an International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. The IB Program is the only one in the city at a public school, and also the only one open to boys (the city's other IB program is at the all-girls' Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholic school). Students also have the option of enrolling in Advanced Placement or Honors classes as well as in the Advanced Placement Program, Exceptional Child Education Program, and English as a Second Language Program.

Notable alumni

See also: List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area

• Bill Bishop, author and journalist^[8]
• Michelle Clark-Heard, former University of Cincinnati women's basketball head coach^[9]
• Jane Eskind, politician^[10]
• Andrew Farrell, MLS player
• Billie Starkz, wrestler, Ring Of Honor Television Champion
• Don Francisco, musician, contemporary Christian music
• Sue Grafton, mystery writer^[11]
• Jack Harlow, rapper
• Oksana Masters, Paralympic rower and cross-country skier; bronze medalist at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and silver medalist at the 2014 Winter Paralympics^[12]
• Martha Rofheart (née Jones), actress & writer who grew up at 2120 Portland in the 1920s & 30s, graduated in 1932/33.
• Hunter S. Thompson, journalist and author (graduated from Louisville Male High School)^[13]
• Charlie Tyra, first All-American basketball player at the University of Louisville^[14]
• Jess Weixler, actress
• Rick Wilson, basketball player, retired
• Jonathan Wolff, music composer
• John Yarmuth, U.S. Representative from Kentucky^[15]

See also

• Public schools in Louisville, Kentucky