Is Underwood Elementary School a good school?

Underwood Elementary School ranks 204 th of 684 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Underwood Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 352 students attended Underwood Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Underwood Elementary School?

Students at Underwood Elementary School are 91% White, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

Underwood Elementary School

Summary:

Underwood Elementary School is a public elementary school in Florence, Alabama, serving 325 students in grades PK-6 as part of the Lauderdale County School District. This school has consistently performed well, ranking in the top 30% of Alabama elementary schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in recent years.

Underwood Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, particularly in special education and for its low-socioeconomic status (SES) students. In 2018-2019, the school ranked 17 out of 392 Alabama elementary schools for its special education program, earning a 5-star rating. Additionally, Underwood has performed well for its low-SES students, ranking in the top 27% of Alabama elementary schools in 2021-2022 and 2023-2024. However, the school's student population is predominantly white (93.85%), which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools in the area.

Compared to nearby schools, Underwood Elementary generally outperforms Central Elementary and Wilson Elementary in the Lauderdale County district, as well as schools in the Muscle Shoals City and Sheffield City districts. However, the high-performing Kilby Laboratory School in the Florence City district outperforms Underwood Elementary in several academic metrics.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

4725 Highway 157
Florence, AL 35633

(256) 764-8939

District: Lauderdale County

SchoolDigger Rank:
204^th of 684 Alabama Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,792

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 352

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.9%

African American:

3.1%

Two or more races:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.5%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Underwood Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Underwood Elementary School ranks better than 70.2% of elementary schools in Alabama. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.26. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.9%), African American (3.1%), two or more races (2.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Underwood Elementary School is 17. (See more...)

Compare Underwood Elementary School employs 20.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Underwood Elementary School is $10,792.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Underwood Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Underwood Elementary School 204^th of 684 Alabama public elementary schools. (See Underwood Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Lauderdale County:

SchoolDigger ranks Lauderdale County 48^th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Underwood Elementary School.

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Your rating for Underwood Elementary School?

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Rank History for Underwood Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2004	92.42	20^th	623	96.8%
2005	84.31	58^th	688	91.6%
2006	80.86	83^rd	689	88.0%
2007	91.64	14^th	698	98.0%
2008	82.94	51^st	698	92.7%
2009	72.69	142^nd	696	79.6%
2010	85.28	33^rd	704	95.3%
2011	79.11	77^th	709	89.1%
2012	76.93	96^th	696	86.2%
2013	72.41	131^st	696	81.2%
2014	72.82	145^th	695	79.1%
2015	73.11	154^th	691	77.7%
2016	84.50	86^th	691	87.6%
2017	81.40	106^th	688	84.6%
2018	80.53	112^th	680	83.5%
2019	61.04	255^th	681	62.6%
2021	39.05	429^th	692	38.0%
2022	66.68	204^th	687	70.3%
2023	68.69	199^th	680	70.7%
2024	68.26	204^th	684	70.2%

See the entire list of Alabama Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	91.83	17^th	392	95.7%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	82.92	50^th	567	91.2%
2018	86.48	48^th	651	92.6%
2019	61.03	231^st	649	64.4%
2021	39.84	412^th	653	36.9%
2022	70.48	146^th	651	77.6%
2024	68.48	180^th	670	73.1%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	78.48	104^th	639	83.7%
2018	82.52	88^th	640	86.3%
2019	62.08	228^th	646	64.7%
2021	36.11	426^th	656	35.1%
2022	59.79	243^rd	656	63.0%
2023	66.50	210^th	645	67.4%
2024	59.81	247^th	650	62.0%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	80.90	93^rd	639	85.4%
2018	77.80	131^st	650	79.8%
2019	55.91	286^th	650	56.0%
2021	42.40	385^th	669	42.5%
2022	70.08	175^th	669	73.8%
2023	66.81	199^th	649	69.3%
2024	72.10	175^th	655	73.3%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Underwood Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AL State Percentile
2017	56.37	140^th	369	62.1%
2018	63.12	172^nd	508	66.1%
2019	40.97	329^th	529	37.8%
2021	22.10	457^th	539	15.2%
2022	49.24	263^rd	540	51.3%
2023	54.01	232^nd	528	56.1%
2024	50.41	268^th	535	49.9%

See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent on FaceBook
Friday, January 28, 2011

The teachers at Underwood are excellent! They are very focused on the students. The small school atmosphere is a plus for any student. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Underwood Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	155	155
1989	165	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	168
1990	173	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	173
1991	188	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	189
1992	238	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	240
1993	234	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	236
1994	235	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
1995	230	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	230
1996	230	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	230
1997	237	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
1998	257	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	258
1999	246	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	248
2000	256	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	260
2001	272	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	276
2002	281	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	285
2003	281	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	285
2004	284	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	287
2005	291	7	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	298
2006	304	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	308
2007	302	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2008	297	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	303
2009	308	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	313
2010	335	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
2011	323	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	325
2012	324	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	326
2013	361	6	1	0	1	0	0	0	369
2014	359	3	2	0	1	0	2	0	367
2015	352	3	4	0	1	0	3	0	363
2016	380	4	4	0	2	0	2	0	392
2017	376	5	5	1	2	0	2	0	391
2018	348	4	2	2	2	0	3	0	361
2019	327	9	4	6	2	0	6	0	354
2020	340	7	5	5	0	0	8	0	365
2021	328	10	4	1	0	0	6	0	349
2022	279	9	3	1	0	0	5	43	340
2023	305	8	2	0	1	0	9	0	325
2024	320	11	0	8	3	0	10	0	352

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Underwood Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	155	6.0	25.8	0
1989	168	7.0	24.0	n/a
1990	173	8.0	21.6	0
1991	189	9.0	21.0	n/a
1992	240	10.4	23.0	n/a
1993	236	10.0	23.6	n/a
1994	239	11.0	21.7	n/a
1995	230	13.9	16.5	n/a
1996	230	13.9	16.5	n/a
1997	239	14.9	16.0	17.2
1998	258	15.8	16.3	17.4
1999	248	14.5	17.1	29.4
2000	260	15.0	17.3	22.7
2001	276	16.0	17.3	23.2
2002	285	16.5	17.3	29.5
2003	285	16.5	17.3	29.5
2004	287	18.3	15.7	16.4
2005	298	18.5	16.1	25.5
2006	308	20.0	15.4	27.9
2007	305	19.9	15.3	26.6
2008	303	19.6	15.5	25.1
2009	313	18.6	16.6	30
2010	339	21.3	15.9	34.5
2011	325	20.2	16.0	36.6
2012	326	14.6	22.3	42.6
2013	369	23.6	15.6	40.4
2014	367	19.1	19.1	40.3
2015	363	21.0	17.2	36.1
2016	392	18.0	21.7	44.1
2017	391	18.1	21.5	49.6
2018	361	20.0	18.0	48.8
2019	354	20.0	17.7	48
2020	365	19.0	19.2	44.7
2021	349	20.0	17.4	44.4
2022	340	20.4	16.6	39.4
2023	325	20.4	15.9	57.5
2024	352	20.6	17.0	56.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Underwood Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	155	6.0	25.8	0
1989	168	7.0	24.0	n/a
1990	173	8.0	21.6	0
1991	189	9.0	21.0	n/a
1992	240	10.4	23.0	n/a
1993	236	10.0	23.6	n/a
1994	239	11.0	21.7	n/a
1995	230	13.9	16.5	n/a
1996	230	13.9	16.5	n/a
1997	239	14.9	16.0	17.2
1998	258	15.8	16.3	17.4
1999	248	14.5	17.1	29.4
2000	260	15.0	17.3	22.7
2001	276	16.0	17.3	23.2
2002	285	16.5	17.3	29.5
2003	285	16.5	17.3	29.5
2004	287	18.3	15.7	16.4
2005	298	18.5	16.1	25.5
2006	308	20.0	15.4	27.9
2007	305	19.9	15.3	26.6
2008	303	19.6	15.5	25.1
2009	313	18.6	16.6	30
2010	339	21.3	15.9	34.5
2011	325	20.2	16.0	36.6
2012	326	14.6	22.3	42.6
2013	369	23.6	15.6	40.4
2014	367	19.1	19.1	40.3
2015	363	21.0	17.2	36.1
2016	392	18.0	21.7	44.1
2017	391	18.1	21.5	49.6
2018	361	20.0	18.0	48.8
2019	354	20.0	17.7	48
2020	365	19.0	19.2	44.7
2021	349	20.0	17.4	44.4
2022	340	20.4	16.6	39.4
2023	325	20.4	15.9	57.5
2024	352	20.6	17.0	56.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Underwood Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,963 (18.2%)	$8,818 (81.7%)	$10,792

Data source: Alabama Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Underwood Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 255^th of 681 Elementary schools	Ranks 199^th of 680 Elementary schools	8.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Underwood Elementary School)	58	37.5	20.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lauderdale County)	64.3	54.7	9.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	57.5	43.6	13.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Underwood Elementary School)	55.4	65.7	10.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lauderdale County)	52.3	39.1	13.2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	47.3	34.9	12.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Underwood Elementary School)	33.3	37.5	4.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lauderdale County)	53.3	38.7	14.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	44.9	33.9	10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Underwood Elementary School)	63	27.8	35.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lauderdale County)	61.4	36.4	25%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)	45.3	30.8	14.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	354	325	8.2%
African American	9	8	11.1%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	6	0	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	327	305	6.7%
Two or More Races	6	9	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48%	57.5%	9.5%

Schools Near Underwood Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2024)				Summative Assessment Science (2024)	Summative Assessment English (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Summative Assessment English 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Underwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4725 Highway 157	Florence	35633	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 764-8939	352	21	17.0	56.5%	320 (90.9%)	11 (3.1%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	68.3	204^th of 684 public elementary schools	70.2%		68.7	199^th of 680 public elementary schools	70.7%	5	52.5	42.1	61.1	30.8	47.4	75.0	63.2	69.4	53.9	$10,792	$1,963	$8,818
Forest Hills School	Public	PK, KG-4	101 Stovall Dr	Florence	35633	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 768-2500	827	55	15.0	44.6%	530 (64.1%)	152 (18.4%)	49 (5.9%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (10.9%)	74.8	159^th of 684 public elementary schools	76.8%		78.6	127^th of 680 public elementary schools	81.3%	32	49.3	52.5			54.2	72.7	68.8			$10,545	$1,336	$9,186
Harlan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2233 McBurney Dr	Florence	35630	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 768-2700	389	30	12.9	89.7%	120 (30.8%)	175 (45.0%)	18 (4.6%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (18.8%)	46.7	376^th of 684 public elementary schools	45.0%		44.3	388^th of 680 public elementary schools	42.9%	12	30.1	46.7			35.0	55.4	55.7			$13,932	$2,610	$11,298
Wilson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7601 Highway 17	Florence	35634	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(256) 764-8470	556	32	17.4	69.8%	525 (94.4%)	8 (1.4%)	12 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.4%)	41.1	424^th of 684 public elementary schools	38.0%					(n/a)	38.8	25.3	45.7	16.4	41.3	55.6	45.3	60.0	35.8
Kilby Laboratory School	Public	PK, KG-6	611 N Pine St	Florence	35632	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	No	(256) 765-4303	201			11.4%	148 (73.6%)	22 (10.9%)	8 (4.0%)	9 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.0%)	91.4	41^st of 684 public elementary schools	94.0%		93	37^th of 680 public elementary schools	94.6%	4	76.2	53.9	84.2	68.4	61.5	85.7	80.8	97.4	68.4
Weeden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	400 Baldwin Street	Florence	35630	Lauderdale County	Florence City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 768-2900	422	26	16.5	87.2%	97 (23.0%)	123 (29.1%)	158 (37.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (10.0%)	56.4	301^st of 684 public elementary schools	56.0%		48.7	354^th of 680 public elementary schools	47.9%	53	49.4	48.1			37.2	53.3	60.8			$14,455	$2,668	$11,763
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3000 County Road 200	Florence	35633	Lauderdale County	Lauderdale County	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(256) 764-2903	707	39	18.1	63.1%	630 (89.1%)	27 (3.8%)	28 (4.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	19 (2.7%)	64.3	226^th of 684 public elementary schools	67.0%					(n/a)	65.4	41.1	50.6	24.4	32.6	74.3	54.7	67.0	68.6
L E Willson Elementary School	Public	3-6	2200 31st St	Sheffield	35660	Colbert County	Sheffield City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 386-5730	240	17	14.5	78.3%	103 (42.9%)	89 (37.1%)	21 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (11.3%)	25.3	513^th of 684 public elementary schools	25.0%		31.6	475^th of 680 public elementary schools	30.1%	38	13.2	23.0	21.2	15.3	26.2	53.9	38.3	52.3	39.0	$10,053	$2,090	$7,960
WA Threadgill Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	900 Annapolis Avenue	Sheffield	35660	Colbert County	Sheffield City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 386-5720	323	21	15.1	70.6%	155 (48.0%)	110 (34.1%)	15 (4.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (13.0%)								(n/a)										$11,366	$2,150	$9,213
Webster Elementary School	Public	1-2	200 Webster Ave	Muscle Shoals	35661	Colbert County	Muscle Shoals City	No	No	No	Yes	(256) 389-2650	232	16	14.2	44.8%	153 (65.9%)	42 (18.1%)	16 (6.9%)	8 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.6%)								(n/a)										$13,378	$1,268	$12,075

Underwood Elementary School

Underwood Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lauderdale County:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Underwood Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Underwood Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Underwood Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Underwood Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Underwood Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Underwood Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Underwood Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Underwood Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Underwood Elementary School

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