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Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary parish was established in 1960 to serve Catholics in southwest Lexington. The first structure to be built was the original school, contructed in the fall of 1962. We were blessed by the opening of our Educational Life Center in the fall of 2005. This wonderful facility houses a Pre-Kindergarten program (half-day and full-day options available), a full-day Kindergarten Program, and classrooms for students in grades 1 through 8.
The Betsy Tibe Media Center is home to an exceptional library with over 13,000 volumes and a media center equipped with 27 workstations and a SMART Board.
Through the generosity of Alltech, a brand new state of the art Science Lab was added for the 2011-2012 school year.
Our Arts Program has a dedicated music room, band room, and art room with kiln.
Our beautiful grounds are home to an award winning prayer garden which was recognized as Best Outdoor Classroom in Kentucky and by the National Wildlife Federation. Beautification of our grounds is an ongoing endeavor. Our Red, White and Bloom garden was designed by our Middle School Math students and is home to tulips planted by each of our students and staff. Each spring, the burst of color signals the arrival of spring. Our Scouts added Yellowwood trees and a picnic area. Future plans include the addition of playground facilities.
A gymnasium and full-service cafeteria round out our school facilities.
Our Commitment to Academic Excellence
Our staff, essential to the success of our students, actively supports and participates in school events, sharing their time and talent even after the school day ends. Averaging more than 15 years of teaching experience, all teachers are fully certified; over 80% have a Master’s degree. Use of differentiated instruction demonstrates their commitment to meeting individual needs by providing students with the tools that they need to meet and exceed expectations. Our dedicated teachers recognize the importance of instilling a lifetime love of learning and inspire students with their own achievements including grant awards (NCTM's Mathematics Education Trust, Toyota Science and Math Grant, Kentucky Environmental Education Council Grant). They celebrate student success through recognition of individual academic achievement (Junior Beta Club and Honor Roll) and acknowledgement of students exemplifying school pride.
MQHR recognizes the diversity in our learning community. In addition to meeting the accepted curriculum standards at both state and national levels, our teachers make significant efforts to address individual needs that guarantee the highest student achievement. Teachers have been trained in and practice effective methods for differentiation of instruction and create plans using best practice strategies including: multiple intelligences, levels of cognition, critical thinking skills, and developmentally appropriate hands-on activities. Attention to instruction that embraces a variety of learning styles makes for an environment where students can learn and achieve at high levels. Visitors to our school would observe large and small group instruction, project work, cooperative learning activities, hands-on laboratory experiments, use of math manipulatives, computer-based learning, and student directed presentations.
Our school made a financial commitment to reduce class size from thirty to twenty-five students per classroom. This reduction in numbers allows both enrichment and remediation in smaller group settings. Our ACES program for gifted and talented students allows further enrichment, while our Reading Remediation and Speech Therapy programs provide support for students who may need additional assistance.
MQHR is involved in a number of activities that allow students to expand their knowledge base and leadership skills, and to prepare them for life as a participating citizen in society. Some of these activities include the Kentucky Youth Assembly, a mock government assembly where children write and present legislation in the state capitol in Frankfort, meet in committee, and speak for or against specific proposals; and the Kentucky United Nations Association, where students prepare and present projects that celebrate the diversity of the many cultures of our world. Academic and math teams successfully compete locally, regionally, and on a state level. Our One to One computing program is being initiated in 2013 for all middle school students. Click here for answers to some questions about this program.
Each year, more than half of our seventh grade students qualify to take the Duke Talent Search Assessment. Our eight graders consistently place in the top 10 of the Lexington Catholic placement tests. In 2011, five of the ten scholarships awarded by Lexington Catholic were awarded to our Mary Queen graduates.
At MQHR, students, parents, teachers, and administrators work in cooperation to embody an atmosphere of pride, tradition, and excellence. Our students excel both in and out of the classroom, as they are provided not only with the academic tools needed to become successful in future educational endeavors, but also with an atmosphere which encourages their pursuit of knowledge, discovery and faith.
Our Commitment to Service and Environment
Mary Queen is committed to serving our community and being responsible stewards of our environment. Out students and staff work cooperatively on annual service projects including food drives and a holiday toy collection. Each year our school surpasses previous participation rates in the St. Jude’s Math-a-thon and American Heart Association Jump Rope for Heart campaigns. MQHR demonstrates their commitment to environmental responsibility through year-round participation in a city-wide recycling program.
