About Our School

Edythe J. Hayes Middle School, located southeast of town, was established in August 2004. Our mission statement charges the faculty and staff with engaging "all learners in a safe and nurturing environment that fosters academic excellence and develops responsible, respectful leaders and citizens." This statement goes beyond school climate - beyond high academic standards - and combines the two to create a developmentally responsive, socially equitable, and academically challenging environment for our students.

ENGAGING ALL LEARNERS
At Edythe J. Hayes Middle School, engagement isn't just a buzzword—it's how we do school. Every classroom is intentionally designed to draw students into learning through research-backed Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures. Our in-house Kagan coaches provide real-time feedback to teachers, ensuring every lesson sparks collaboration, critical thinking, and active participation.

As part of our Continuous Classroom Improvement (CCI) model, students have a voice in how they learn best. Teachers regularly collect student feedback and use it to adjust instruction—sometimes by the very next day. Students also take the lead in weekly data talks, setting goals and identifying strategies to move their learning forward.

Beyond the classroom, our students stay connected and invested through one of the largest selections of athletics and extracurriculars in the district. Our teams and clubs don’t just compete—they win, with multiple local, regional, state, and national championships. From eSports to academic teams, robotics to drama, there’s something for every Panther.

Our commitment to engagement extends to every student. We host an annual IMPACT Day focused on inclusion and understanding, inspired by the national “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. Our co-teaching teams receive ongoing coaching to better serve students with IEPs. Programs like Panther Men of Quality and My Sisterkeeper offer mentorship and belonging, helping our at-promise students thrive.

A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
From their first day, our students know they belong. Through the WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) program, trained 8th-grade leaders welcome incoming 6th graders with high-energy events, mentoring, and monthly community-building activities. This isn’t just orientation—it’s the foundation of our school culture.

Our safe and structured environment is reflected in the data: we have the lowest discipline rate of any middle school in Fayette County, with only 2.5 office referrals a day—far below the national average for a school our size. Tools like the Employability Operating System help us partner with families to support positive behavior in real time.

Mental health matters here. We have a full counseling team—including three grade-level counselors, a school psychologist, and a full-time mental health specialist—plus partnerships with outside providers like the Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Adams Counseling. Whether a student needs academic guidance or emotional support, they have a team behind them.

Our building is built for safety. With over 120 cameras and clear lines of sight, supervision is never in question. All students wear ID badges, and all doors are monitored—just a few of the district-wide safety measures we proudly uphold.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
We don’t just set the bar—we raise it. As of Spring 2025, EJ Hayes leads all traditional middle schools in FCPS in the percentage of students scoring proficient and distinguished on MAP reading and math assessments (71% equally). We also boast the lowest percentage of students scoring novice and the highest rate of students meeting or exceeding their growth goals.

Our Accelerated Learning Program offers advanced coursework in every core content area—plus Spanish—without the “all or nothing” limitations of traditional magnet programs. Students are placed based on strengths, not labels. We also employ the only full-time middle school gifted and talented teacher outside of the district’s magnet programs.

Students can earn up to six high school credits before ever setting foot in a high school classroom: Algebra I, Geometry, English I, Spanish I and II, and Agricultural Science. Our Academy Prep Program reimagines exploratory classes as stepping stones to career and college pathways.

From the arts to STEM, our students shine. Our band, orchestra, and chorus programs have earned distinguished ratings for 19 consecutive years. Our students compete—and win—at state and national science fairs. And our clubs, including Beta, KYA, and KUNA, are consistently named Clubs of Distinction.

We celebrate our staff, too. Grammy Award finalist Lois Wiggins, Kentucky History Teacher of the Year April Deener, and KMEA Music Teacher of the Year Dr. Kite are just a few of the exceptional educators who’ve called Hayes home.

RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTFUL LEADERS AND CITIZENS
Leadership starts early at EJ Hayes. From the 100 students selected annually for our elite WEB program to service-minded scholars in our nationally recognized Beta Club, students step into roles that matter. In 2024 alone, our Panther family raised over $32,000 for UK DanceBlue’s pediatric cancer research.

Each year, selected students participate in a leadership summit led by nationally known speaker and leadership coach Ted Weise. Through this experience, students build confidence, communication skills, and a commitment to service.

Our schoolwide culture is grounded in the Panther Promise:
Learn Daily. Laugh Often. Lead Respectfully. Live Responsibly.
These aren’t just words—they’re the heartbeat of our community.

At Edythe J. Hayes, we don’t just prepare students for high school. We prepare them for life.