Shelby Academy
An Atherton Zone resides elementary on Ziegler Street with a 9:40 a.m. start
Resides and choice school · Grades K–5 · Atherton Zone
- Grades: K–5
- How to get in: Address assignment or zone choice
- School day: 9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m.
Shelby Academy is an Atherton Zone neighborhood elementary on Ziegler Street, not a districtwide Traditional magnet. If School Finder assigns this address here, that is the resides school and families register.
735 Ziegler Street, Louisville, KY 40217 · Atherton / southeastern Jefferson County
Official starting points
- Official Shelby Academy site(opens in a new tab)
- JCPS student assignment and apply(opens in a new tab)
- Current Choices Guide(opens in a new tab)
- JCPS School Finder(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
Shelby sits at 735 Ziegler Street in 40217 — southeastern Jefferson County / Atherton cluster. Hours 9:40–4:20. Title I Yes. K–5. Jimica Howard is principal. AP: DeeAnna Walker / Kadia Turner. Counselor: Krishonda Johnson / Jana Glass. FRC: Miriam Sargent. MHP: Latonia Goodrich.
Resides families in the Atherton Zone sit with Bloom and Camp Taylor. Shelby is not an address-eligible Traditional magnet like Carter, Audubon, Foster, Greathouse, or Schaffner. A magnet application is not the path into this campus.
Who runs the building
Principal Jimica Howard
AP: DeeAnna Walker / Kadia Turner. Counselor: Krishonda Johnson / Jana Glass. FRC: Miriam Sargent. MHP: Latonia Goodrich. Confirm names on the day you tour — staff pages move.
School details
- Address
- 735 Ziegler Street, Louisville, KY 40217
- Phone
- (502) 485-8327
- Official JCPS site
- jefferson.kyschools.us/o/shelby(opens in a new tab)
- Title I: Yes
- Atherton Zone
- Listed capacity: 638
- 9:40 a.m. start
How families get in
If School Finder assigns Shelby Academy to the address, register rather than submitting a magnet application. Families seeking another eligible option use the School Choices section. Shelby is not a Traditional magnet and not a MicroSociety magnet.
- Register first if the child is new to JCPS or entering kindergarten.
- Returning students who have not moved do not need to reapply to stay.
- Use School Finder to confirm the resides school, zone, and later school path.
- Complete Transportation Verification and confirm the current stop.
2027–28 application window
- November 2–December 18, 2026
- Confirm dates with JCPS before applying
Resides students use the regular elementary transportation system. Eligibility can change; confirm the route and the household plan for the 9:40 a.m. bell.
Who it tends to fit
A good match when
- Shelby is your resides or preferred Atherton Zone school and you will use the FRC and school support services as part of the plan.
- The 9:40 a.m. start works for your household.
- You want arts integration, SHARK expectations, No Place for Hate, and the published activity list on a 9:40 Atherton Zone campus.
Think twice when
- You need a 7:30 a.m. campus instead of the 9:40 a.m. start here.
- You want a Traditional uniform culture or a districtwide theme magnet.
- You are choosing mostly on test-score rankings — current bands sit well below JCPS elementary averages.
Students
The Oct. 1, 2025 race/gender file counted 278 students against a listed capacity of 638, about 44% full. The Choices Guide used 246. Counts change during the year.
Diversity index
62%
Calculated from the Oct. 1, 2025 file. Shelby is majority-Black (55%), not a one-group campus. The index is a snapshot of mix, not a grade.
| Group | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Black / African American | 154 | 55% |
| White | 69 | 25% |
| Other | 32 | 12% |
| Hispanic / Latino | 23 | 8% |
Gender: Confirm with school (current office count)
- Economically disadvantaged: 87.4%
- Multilingual learners: 21 students (about 8%)
- Title I: Yes
Academics
Use the current Kentucky School Report Card first and confirm the testing year before comparing schools. The live JCPS Shelby homepage banner posts these bands.
- Reading: 18% proficient and 5% distinguished; 23% displayed combined P+D.
- Math: 15% proficient and 2% distinguished; 17% displayed combined P+D.
- Both bands sit well below JCPS elementary averages (about 37% reading / 31% math) in the guide review.
Awards and recognition
Shelby Sharks — SHARK expectations
Motto: We teach like our children go here. Schoolwide expectations built around Safe, Helpful, Accountable, Respectful.
No Place for Hate
Partner school with the ADL, using a workshop model tailored to the individual student.
Arts and STEAM programming
Special areas including art, library, general music, PE, STEAM, Math/Music/Movement, and Disney Musicals in Schools with StageOne. The school site also lists Project Lead the Way.
Broad activity list
Basketball, cheer, Student Council, Girls on the Run, Men of Quality, Gifted G.I.R.L.S., Strings, Girl Scouts, soccer, Drum Line, Color Guard, News Team, and Sunshine Joe embroidery.
Location and daily life
The campus is on Ziegler Street in Atherton / 40217, southeastern Jefferson County. Test the commute during the actual 9:40 a.m. arrival window.
Enrollment was well under listed building capacity (about 44%) in the source snapshot. Ask which grades currently have space.
Recent news, in context
Current directory: Jimica Howard, principal; DeeAnna Walker / Kadia Turner, AP; Krishonda Johnson / Jana Glass, counselor; Miriam Sargent, FRC; Latonia Goodrich, MHP.
Camp Taylor shares Choices Guide page 19 with Shelby — do not import Camp Taylor's full-time library/arts/STEM + 5x5 Fund for the Arts + PBIS/MHP package into this profile.
Compare before you commit
- Bloom / Camp TaylorOther Atherton Zone resides campuses. Camp Taylor shares Choices Guide page 19.
- Kennedy / MaupinCurrent listed choice schools. The original guide listed King before its closure.
- Carter Traditional ElementaryA separate address-eligible Traditional magnet path with uniforms and no assumed magnet bus.
Questions to ask on a tour
- 1.Is Shelby my resides school, or an Atherton Zone option I have to rank?
- 2.What does a third-grade reading block look like, in minutes, not slogans?
- 3.What do social-emotional supports and the published activity list look like in a third-grade day?
- 4.What before- and after-care exists on this 9:40–4:20 campus?
- 5.How long is the Ziegler Street car line at 9:20?
- 6.Even though the building is well under listed capacity (278 of 638), which grades currently have space?
- 7.If we want Atherton High later, what middle does this address actually feed?
- 8.If Shelby is full, what is the next Atherton Zone campus?
What to do next
- 1.Run School Finder. Write down resides elementary, zone, middle, and high.
- 2.Register first if the child is new to JCPS or entering kindergarten.
- 3.If Shelby is resides and you have not moved, you do not need to apply to stay — still complete transportation verification.
- 4.Tour at late-bell reality. Watch arrival, not only the school displays.
- 5.If you want a magnet or other school option, apply November 2–December 18, 2026 for 2027–28.
- 6.Ask how families use the FRYSC and mental-health practitioner if barriers are part of the plan.