Jefferson County Traditional Middle School
Traditional middle magnet on Morton Avenue — the Centurions
Traditional magnet · boundary-based eligibility · Centurion Way: integrity, discipline, excellence · Triple-A — academics, athletics, arts
- Grades: 6th–8th
- How to get in: Traditional boundary
- School day: 7:30 a.m.–2:10 p.m.
JCTMS is one of three JCPS Traditional middle magnets, with Barret and Johnson. Choices and the school's own About page both say it serves students inside certain geographical boundaries, so School Finder decides which Traditional middle serves your address. This is not a districtwide lottery, and a Traditional seat is not a bus. JCPS Insider is not affiliated with Jefferson County Public Schools.
1418 Morton Avenue · Original Highlands · Louisville, Kentucky
Official starting points
- JCTMS's official JCPS page(opens in a new tab)
- JCPS student assignment(opens in a new tab)
- School Finder(opens in a new tab)
- How to apply(opens in a new tab)
- Current Choices Guide(opens in a new tab)
- KDE School Report Card(opens in a new tab)
School Choice:(502) 485-6250schoolchoice@jefferson.kyschools.us
What this school is
JCTMS sits at 1418 Morton Avenue. It is a Traditional middle magnet, not a resides default and not a districtwide theme magnet. Choices lists scholarship, patriotism, courtesy, respect, responsibility, and citizenship. The school's own frame is the Centurion Way — integrity, discipline, excellence — and Triple-A, meaning academics, athletics, and arts.
Grade-level teams carry colors: 6 Red, 6 Black, and 6 Yellow; 7 Green and 7 Orange; 8 Blue and 8 Gold. Athletics are a real part of the pitch here, from football through flag football, not a side note.
Who runs the building
Brent Conner
Brent Conner is listed as principal. Grade-level assistant principals listed are Kim Coleman (6th), Tonya Coleman (7th), and Ronald Cheeks (8th). Andrea Cook is listed as FRYSC coordinator. Confirm names on the school site before you write a letter.
School details
- Address
- 1418 Morton Avenue, Louisville, KY 40204
- Phone
- (502) 485-8272
- Official JCPS site
- jefferson.kyschools.us/o/jctms(opens in a new tab)
- School day: 7:30 a.m.–2:10 p.m.
- Title I: Yes
- Board district: Corrie Shull · District 2
- Mascot: Centurions
How families get in
JCTMS is address-based. Use School Finder to see which Traditional middle serves your home address. If your child is already in a JCPS Traditional elementary, JCPS automatically enrolls them in the Traditional middle that serves that address — no application. If they are not in a Traditional elementary, apply during the magnet window for the Traditional middle that serves the address.
- Run School Finder. Write down which Traditional middle serves this address.
- Already in a Traditional elementary? JCPS rolls the student to that Traditional middle. No application.
- Not in a Traditional elementary? Apply in the magnet window for the Traditional middle serving the address.
- Tour during the academic day. A 7:30 start means an early visit.
- Watch the response deadline if a seat is offered.
Do not assume a bus
- For 2026–27, JCTMS is not on the JCPS list of magnet schools that receive transportation for every enrolled student. Limited exceptions may apply (McKinney-Vento, foster care, ECE with specialized transportation in an IEP).
- Confirm on the current Transportation Verification form. A Traditional seat is not a bus.
Official 2027–28 application window: November 2, 2026 through December 18, 2026.
Who it tends to fit
A good match when
- Your address sits inside the JCTMS Traditional boundary.
- You want structure plus a large athletics program at a 7:30 a.m. start.
- You can get your child to Morton Avenue without a magnet bus.
Think twice when
- You need Barret-level published scores.
- You need an 8:40 day or a guaranteed district bus from across the county.
- You expected a districtwide lottery rather than a boundary.
Students
Counts come from the JCPS Oct. 1, 2025 enrollment file: 769 students, with a grade split of 250 sixth, 267 seventh, and 252 eighth, in a building listed at 935 optimal capacity. Title I: Yes.
Diversity index
64%
Standard racial/ethnic diversity index from the published Oct. 1, 2025 shares. Student numbers are calculated from those shares and the 769-student headcount, so treat them as close approximations.
| Group | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Black / African American | 331 | 43% |
| White | 300 | 39% |
| Other / two or more races | 85 | 11% |
| Hispanic / Latino | 62 | 8% |
Gender: Not broken out separately in the source file.
- Headcount 769 · Oct. 1, 2025
- Listed capacity 935
- Grade split 250 / 267 / 252
- Title I: Yes
- School day 7:30 a.m.–2:10 p.m.
Academics
Use the Kentucky School Report Card first. These figures match the official 2024–25 accountability table and the school's own banners.
- Reading: 30% proficient, 14% distinguished — 44% official combined P+D.
- Math: 33% proficient, 7% distinguished — 40% official combined P+D.
- Science: 23% proficient, 1% distinguished — 24% official combined P+D. Social studies 27% and writing 26%.
- Those totals sit below Barret's published figures and above the lowest-scoring Traditional campus.
- Traditional structure is not a substitute for asking how a sixth-grader who arrives novice gets taught.
Awards and recognition
Triple-A program frame
The school's own academics, athletics, and arts positioning
Athletics breadth
Football through flag football, listed as part of the pitch
Location and daily life
1418 Morton Avenue, 40204 — Original Highlands, close to Baxter and Broadway. The 7:30 a.m. bell collides with many work schedules, so tour the Morton Avenue car line at 7:10.
The building holds 769 students against a 935-seat listing. Empty seats are not the same thing as small classes, so ask about class size in the grade you want.
Recent news, in context
JCTMS remains boundary-based. Both Choices and the school's About page say it serves certain geographical boundaries.
For 2026–27, JCTMS is not on the all-enrolled magnet transportation list. Johnson Traditional is.
The 2027–28 application window runs November 2 through December 18, 2026.
Compare before you commit
- Barret Traditional Middle SchoolTraditional magnet on Grinstead with the highest published scores of the three.
- Johnson Traditional MiddleWest Louisville Traditional magnet, on the all-enrolled magnet bus list for 2026–27.
- Meyzeek MiddleMST magnet in Smoketown. Separate application even for resides students.
- Noe MiddleDistrictwide arts and academics magnet. Application required.
Questions to ask on a tour
- 1.Is my address currently inside the JCTMS Traditional boundary?
- 2.What does a Tuesday morning look like — lining up, homework, conduct marks?
- 3.What is the current dress code?
- 4.How large is the class my child would enter?
- 5.How do you support a sixth-grader who arrives below the published proficient band?
- 6.Is there a JCPS bus for JCTMS magnet students this year?
- 7.How long is the Morton Avenue car line at 7:10?
- 8.Which Traditional high schools typically follow JCTMS — and is that automatic?
- 9.How do I reach the grade-level assistant principal and counselor?
- 10.If we decline a seat, what is the deadline?
What to do next
- 1.Run your address in School Finder and write down which Traditional middle serves it.
- 2.If your child is in a Traditional elementary, confirm the automatic roll-up instead of applying.
- 3.If not, apply during the window for the Traditional middle that serves your address.
- 4.Complete the Transportation Verification form and ask directly whether a bus exists.
- 5.Tour early in the day and watch the deadline on any offer letter.