Okolona Elementary

A Title I, K–5 Southern Zone neighborhood school in the Southern High cluster.

Southern Zone resides school · Leadership development and academic support · Late-bell schedule: 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m.

Grades: K–5
How to get in: Resides assignment or Southern Zone choice
School day: 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m.

Okolona is a Southern Zone neighborhood elementary school, not a magnet. It offers leadership development, student activities and small-group academic support on a 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m. schedule.

South Louisville · Okolona · 40219

Official starting points

School Choice:(502) 485-6250 schoolchoice@jefferson.kyschools.us

What this school is

Okolona serves grades K–5 in south Louisville. It is a Southern Zone resides school in the Southern High cluster and is not a magnet.

The school describes a leadership-development approach that identifies and nurtures student strengths. Activities listed in the guide include STLP, Future Problem Solving, robotics, Quick Recall and chess.

Small-group math and reading support and Extended School Services are listed. Students also have weekly arts, physical education, library and STEM. Confirm the current activity schedule with the school.

The 2025–26 Data Book lists 365 students against an official capacity of 446, or about 82% full. Enrollment and available space can change during the year.

School leadership

April Hetzel

April Hetzel is listed as principal for 2026–27.

The current directory also lists Stacey Bischoff as assistant principal, Betsy Reuther and Phyllis Watts as counselors, Mike Corus with the Family Resource Center and Amber Priddy as MHP.

Staff assignments can change. Confirm names when you contact or tour the school.

School details

Address: 7606 Preston Highway, Louisville, KY 40219
Phone: (502) 485-8309
Official JCPS site: Official Okolona Elementary site(opens in a new tab)

Grades K–5
School day: 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m.
Title I: Yes
Southern Zone · Southern High cluster

How families get in

Okolona is the resides elementary school for some Southern Zone addresses. Use JCPS School Finder for the exact address before registering or ranking a school.

If School Finder assigns Okolona as the resides school, register through JCPS. A magnet application is not required to remain at Okolona.
Students entering kindergarten or new to JCPS must register first and then apply when an application is required.
Families seeking another Southern Zone campus use the School Choices section of the Elementary Application.
Returning students who are staying at the same school and have not moved do not need to apply.
Resides students are in the regular elementary transportation system, but families must complete transportation verification. Eligibility rules and stops can change, and transportation is not guaranteed for a different school option.

2027–28 application window

November 2, 2026 through December 18, 2026
Register first if the student is entering kindergarten or is new to JCPS.

Minors Lane is listed as the Southern Zone satellite for incoming kindergartners and students new to the zone. Confirm assignment, transportation and current space directly with JCPS.

Who it tends to fit

A good match when

A 9:40 a.m. start and 4:20 p.m. dismissal work for the household.
You want leadership development and activities such as STLP, Future Problem Solving, robotics, Quick Recall or chess.
Small-group math and reading support and Extended School Services are important to the plan.
You expect to use the Family Resource Center and other school support services.

Think twice when

You need a 7:30 a.m. elementary schedule.
You are choosing mainly by test-score rankings. The displayed reading and math proficiency-plus-distinguished results are below the cited JCPS elementary averages.
You are assuming a future middle or high school without checking the exact address in School Finder.

Fit depends on the exact address, current staffing, available space, transportation eligibility and the needs of the household. Confirm these details with JCPS and the school.

Students

The 2025–26 Data Book lists 365 students. Counts can shift after the first month, so use the year attached to each figure.

Diversity index

68%

This is the chance that two students selected at random are from different reported groups, based on the 2025–26 count. It describes the mix of reported groups, not school quality.

Reported race and ethnicity counts for Okolona Elementary
Group	Students	Share
White	78	21%
Hispanic / Latino	162	44%
Black / African American	93	25%
Other	32	9%

Gender: Confirm with the school Use the current school office count.

Enrollment: 365 students in the 2025–26 Data Book
Capacity: 446, with 365 enrolled, or about 82% used
Free or reduced-price lunch: 80%, based on 283 free and 10 reduced-price lunch students
Multilingual learners: 179 students, about 49%
Title I: Yes

Academics

Use the Kentucky School Report Card alongside information from school leadership. The cited Okolona homepage banner reports the following reading and math results.

Reading: 21% proficient and 7% distinguished, for 28% proficient plus distinguished.
Math: 23% proficient and 3% distinguished, for 26% proficient plus distinguished.
The guide cites JCPS elementary averages of about 37% for reading and 31% for math.
Small-group math and reading support and Extended School Services are listed.
Ask what reading and math support looks like by grade and how often students receive it.

Awards and recognition

Location and daily life

Okolona is in south Louisville in ZIP code 40219.

The school is part of the Southern Zone and is listed in the Southern High cluster.

The 9:40 a.m. start and 4:20 p.m. dismissal make before-care, after-care and transportation important planning questions.

Resides students use the regular elementary transportation system, subject to current eligibility rules and transportation verification.

Recent news, in context

JCPS broke ground in October 2025 on a replacement Okolona building on the same site.

The planned building is listed as 80,330 square feet.

Expected occupancy is August 2027. Confirm the construction and opening schedule with JCPS.

Compare before you commit

Carter TraditionalAn address-eligible Traditional magnet with uniforms and no assumed magnet transportation. Confirm eligibility and transportation with JCPS.

Questions to ask on a tour

1.Is Okolona the resides school for this address, or a Southern Zone option that must be ranked?
2.What does a third-grade reading block look like, including the number of minutes?
3.What do social-emotional supports and the current activity list look like during a typical day?
4.What before-school and after-school care is available for the 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m. schedule?
5.How long is the car line around 9:20 a.m.?
6.Which grades currently have space?
7.What middle and high schools does this exact address feed?
8.How will construction of the replacement building affect students and arrival or dismissal?

What to do next

1.Run JCPS School Finder for the exact address. Record the resides elementary school, zone, middle school and high-school cluster.
2.Register first if the student is entering kindergarten or is new to JCPS.
3.If Okolona is the resides school and the family has not moved, no application is required to stay. Complete transportation verification.
4.Visit during the morning arrival period to understand the late-bell schedule and car line.
5.For a magnet or another school option, apply during the November 2 through December 18, 2026 window for 2027–28.
6.Ask the school how families access the Family Resource Center and academic support services.