Jeremy Kidd
Principal

Dear South Laurel friends and visitors,

Welcome to South Laurel High School!

Our mission at South Laurel is to “Do Your Job,” to the best of your ability. We rely on and support one another in the school community so that we can be the best Cardinal Nation possible. This means that everyone at SLHS is “prepared,” “working hard,” “putting the team first,” and “paying attention to the details.” Specifically, I have challenged our school community to use our “Do Your Job” philosophy to focus on the SLHS 3-point plan. This includes a Positive School Culture, adopting a Growth Mindset and making sure we give students an opportunity for success in life after high school through Transition Readiness. I am very proud of the efforts that our students and staff have put in these past few school years. Not only have our students experienced success in the classroom but also in extracurricular activities such as academic, athletic, band and choral competitions.

Over the last two years SLHS has moved from the 89th ranked high school in the state of Kentucky to the 37th, while being named one the “Best High Schools” in America as ranked by US News and World Reports. SLHS was rated a 4-star high school by SchoolDigger.com and was classified as a “High Proficiency” school according to state academic assessments as rated by the Kentucky Department of Education. Over eighty students have graduated with the distinction of Summa Cum Laude honors with a 4.0 GPA or higher. Seventy students graduated with the Work Ethic Seal on their diploma, twelve students have joined a military service branch and recent graduates have received over $6 million dollars in scholarships. The current class of 2021, as a whole, averages college benchmark in each area. A monumental achievement in itself. Not to mention, our student section the Cardinal Crazies were named the best student section in the state of Kentucky.

The entire SLHS community has faced true adversity. Adversity and a set of global issues that previous generations have never encountered before. Our limits of perseverance, grit and determination continue to be tested. Nevertheless, we remain strong, we remain united. We will continue to “Do Our Job,” in all aspects of the school community. We are the SL Family, we are the Cardinal Nation!

Wake up the echoes! Go Cards!

Jeremy A. Kidd

 SLHS 3-Point Plan:

Positive School Culture

Growth Mindset

Transition Readiness

Positive School Culture

This concept is important because it fosters positive teacher-student interactions, removes barriers to learning, increases collaborative relationships, and provides clear appropriate and consistently high expectations. Borrowing the mentality from famous head coach Bill Belichick, we cannot be the most successful South Laurel Cardinals that we can be unless everyone “Does their Job.” This means staff and students have to be prepared, work hard, pay attention to the details and put the team (school) first.

Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset is not a new program, platform, software or product. Growth Mindset is part of the human condition. Students are going to be better at whatever task they are trying to master on day 100 versus day 1. Whether we are learning a new subject, skill, sport, instrument or foreign language, all require practice, growth, failure, perseverance, feedback and an attitude of, “I can learn to do anything I set my mind to.” One of the most important parts of Growth Mindset is that failure is not the end. You must not, cannot, and will not give up.

Transition Readiness

It is the students’ goal to demonstrate growth and proficiency in various disciplines as they plan for post-secondary success. Many students will seek entry in college and universities while others will pursue vocational or trade-school opportunities. Some students will serve our country as they enlist in one of our military service branches, and others will choose to enter the work force. Whichever path our students take, the goal for life after high school is that we have a population that is transition ready. Students who have graduated with the skills necessary to provide them with opportunities become a successful, productive adults 

During the fall semester, I have witnessed staff and students embrace and model our 3-Point Plan. I am very proud of the effort and level of commitment we have put in as a school community. I am very blessed to be part of this school family once again and look forward to a year of many successes. GO CARDS!