Is Bessie Buker Elementary a good school?

Yes. Bessie Buker Elementary ranks in the top 8.8% of Massachusetts elementary schools.

How many students attend Bessie Buker Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 259 students attended Bessie Buker Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Bessie Buker Elementary?

Students at Bessie Buker Elementary are 84% White, 9% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Bessie Buker Elementary attend?

Students who attend Bessie Buker Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Miles River Middle High : Hamilton-Wenham Regional High

Bessie Buker Elementary

Summary:

Bessie Buker Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school located in Wenham, Massachusetts, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Hamilton-Wenham school district, which is ranked 79 out of 351 districts in the state and rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Bessie Buker Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Massachusetts, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in MCAS Next Generation assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly higher than the state averages across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, 62.07% of students were proficient or better in ELA, 70.69% in Mathematics, and 83.33% in Science, compared to the state averages of 39.17%, 40.91%, and 41.95%, respectively. Bessie Buker also maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.9 to 14.1 over the past three school years.

When compared to nearby schools, Bessie Buker Elementary outperforms the Winthrop School and Cutler School, which are also part of the Hamilton-Wenham district, in academic proficiency rates across all subject areas and grade levels. The school also generally maintains higher proficiency rates than schools in the neighboring Danvers and Beverly districts, particularly in Mathematics and Science.

Detail:

Public K-5

1 School Street
Wenham, MA 01984

(978) 468-5324

District: Hamilton-Wenham

SchoolDigger Rank:
81^st of 916 Massachusetts Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,531

Students who attend Bessie Buker Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Miles River Middle
High:	Hamilton-Wenham Regional High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 259

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.2%

Hispanic:

8.9%

Asian:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 8.8%

See top rated Massachusetts elementary schools

Compare Bessie Buker Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bessie Buker Elementary ranks better than 91.2% of elementary schools in Massachusetts. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Hamilton-Wenham School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.45. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.2%), Hispanic (8.9%), Asian (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bessie Buker Elementary is 13.2, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Hamilton-Wenham School District! (See more...)

Compare Bessie Buker Elementary employs 19.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bessie Buker Elementary is $17,531, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Hamilton-Wenham School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bessie Buker Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Bessie Buker Elementary 81^st of 916 Massachusetts public elementary schools. (See Bessie Buker Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Hamilton-Wenham:

SchoolDigger ranks Hamilton-Wenham 79^th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bessie Buker Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2003	58.56	409^th	884	53.7%
2004	78.38	188^th	882	78.7%
2005	78.44	197^th	887	77.8%
2006	71.29	258^th	911	71.7%
2007	70.18	280^th	911	69.3%
2008	65.05	333^rd	908	63.3%
2009	67.93	315^th	909	65.3%
2010	66.78	330^th	920	64.1%
2011	72.07	285^th	924	69.2%
2012	80.35	171^st	930	81.6%
2013	76.11	216^th	928	76.7%
2014	77.10	199^th	926	78.5%
2015	66.71	317^th	914	65.3%
2016	82.48	138^th	932	85.2%
2017	68.35	285^th	938	69.6%
2018	73.71	241^st	934	74.2%
2019	74.60	237^th	942	74.8%
2021	81.87	153^rd	936	83.7%
2022	89.99	87^th	932	90.7%
2023	83.60	150^th	928	83.8%
2024	89.45	81^st	916	91.2%

See the entire list of Massachusetts Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	59.87	307^th	886	65.3%
2019	55.99	347^th	896	61.3%
2022	93.01	26^th	905	97.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	65.19	326^th	893	63.5%
2019	75.31	209^th	902	76.8%
2021	85.24	121^st	898	86.5%
2022	89.87	72^nd	901	92.0%
2023	88.84	76^th	887	91.4%
2024	94.43	21^st	886	97.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	76.76	200^th	898	77.7%
2019	68.76	278^th	907	69.3%
2021	73.91	235^th	904	74.0%
2022	86.77	98^th	908	89.2%
2023	72.55	244^th	896	72.8%
2024	78.01	181^st	891	79.7%

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

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	81.57	160^th	925	82.7%

See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Elementary Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for White students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MA State Percentile
2018	63.12	285^th	772	63.1%
2019	63.74	273^rd	780	65.0%
2021	71.03	199^th	765	74.0%
2022	81.55	109^th	764	85.7%
2023	72.98	172^nd	762	77.4%
2024	84.09	80^th	753	89.4%

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

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary 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: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Bessie Buker Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	228	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
2001	260	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	262
2002	266	2	8	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
2003	266	2	8	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
2004	253	2	9	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
2005	253	0	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	262
2006	242	1	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	3	259
2007	218	1	8	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	229
2008	228	1	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	236
2009	224	2	8	0	0	2	0	0	236
2010	237	1	16	0	0	3	1	0	258
2011	244	1	16	0	0	4	1	0	266
2012	238	0	12	0	0	3	4	0	257
2013	233	0	12	0	0	1	3	0	249
2014	215	0	12	0	1	1	6	0	235
2015	228	1	9	10	0	0	2	0	250
2016	228	1	7	9	0	0	4	0	249
2017	229	1	7	15	0	0	3	0	255
2018	226	0	8	17	0	0	6	0	257
2019	213	0	5	22	0	0	5	0	245
2020	222	0	7	22	0	0	6	0	257
2021	192	1	5	22	0	0	3	0	223
2022	205	2	14	26	0	0	3	0	250
2023	214	2	16	29	0	0	4	0	265
2024	218	3	11	23	0	0	4	0	259

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 Bessie Buker Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	231	n/a	0.0	3
2001	262	n/a	0.0	1.5
2002	277	n/a	n/a	3.2
2003	277	n/a	n/a	3.2
2004	267	15.7	17.0	4.1
2005	262	16.9	15.5	4.2
2006	259	17.0	15.2	3.9
2007	229	17.0	13.5	2.2
2008	236	17.2	13.7	4.3
2009	236	17.5	13.5	5.9
2010	258	17.8	14.4	6.6
2011	266	18.7	14.1	8.6
2012	257	18.7	13.6	6.2
2013	249	17.4	14.3	9.6
2014	235	17.1	13.7	7.2
2015	250	17.0	14.7	8.8
2016	249	17.0	14.6	n/a
2017	255	17.4	14.6	n/a
2018	257	16.0	16.0	n/a
2019	245	17.5	13.9	n/a
2020	257	17.5	14.6	n/a
2021	223	16.0	13.9	n/a
2022	250	17.9	13.9	n/a
2023	265	18.6	14.1	n/a
2024	259	19.5	13.2	n/a

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 Bessie Buker Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	231	n/a	0.0	3
2001	262	n/a	0.0	1.5
2002	277	n/a	n/a	3.2
2003	277	n/a	n/a	3.2
2004	267	15.7	17.0	4.1
2005	262	16.9	15.5	4.2
2006	259	17.0	15.2	3.9
2007	229	17.0	13.5	2.2
2008	236	17.2	13.7	4.3
2009	236	17.5	13.5	5.9
2010	258	17.8	14.4	6.6
2011	266	18.7	14.1	8.6
2012	257	18.7	13.6	6.2
2013	249	17.4	14.3	9.6
2014	235	17.1	13.7	7.2
2015	250	17.0	14.7	8.8
2016	249	17.0	14.6	n/a
2017	255	17.4	14.6	n/a
2018	257	16.0	16.0	n/a
2019	245	17.5	13.9	n/a
2020	257	17.5	14.6	n/a
2021	223	16.0	13.9	n/a
2022	250	17.9	13.9	n/a
2023	265	18.6	14.1	n/a
2024	259	19.5	13.2	n/a

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 Bessie Buker Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$670 (4.1%)	$15,572 (95.9%)	$16,242
2020	$810 (4.0%)	$19,326 (96.0%)	$20,136
2021	$956 (5.5%)	$16,575 (94.5%)	$17,531

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bessie Buker Elementary

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 237^th of 942 Elementary schools	Ranks 150^th of 928 Elementary schools	9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bessie Buker Elementary)	70	70.3	0.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton-Wenham)	74	63.4	10.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	56	43.9	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bessie Buker Elementary)	70	59.5	10.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hamilton-Wenham)	64	49.2	14.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	41	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bessie Buker Elementary)	86	71.1	14.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton-Wenham)	72	57.4	14.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	39.7	12.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bessie Buker Elementary)	66	60	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hamilton-Wenham)	74	50.7	23.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	45	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bessie Buker Elementary)	66	52.5	13.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton-Wenham)	73	60	13%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	43.8	8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bessie Buker Elementary)	53	62.5	9.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hamilton-Wenham)	62	55.7	6.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.9	8.2%
5th Grade Science (Bessie Buker Elementary)	49	67.5	18.5%
5th Grade Science (Hamilton-Wenham)	64	60.7	3.3%
5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)	48	41.6	6.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Bessie Buker Elementary)	74	64.8	9.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Hamilton-Wenham)	74	63.9	10.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)	52	42.3	9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Bessie Buker Elementary)	63	60.7	2.3%
All Grades Mathematics (Hamilton-Wenham)	68	56.8	11.2%
All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)	49	40.6	8.4%
All Grades Science (Bessie Buker Elementary)	49	67.5	18.5%
All Grades Science (Hamilton-Wenham)	69	64.3	4.7%
All Grades Science (Massachusetts)	47	41.2	5.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	245	265	8.2%
African American	0	2
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	16	220%
Hispanic	22	29	31.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	213	214	0.5%
Two or More Races	5	4	20%

Schools Near Bessie Buker Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Mathematics (2024)				MCAS Next Generation Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 3rd Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 4th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Mathematics All Grades	MCAS Next Generation Science 5th Grade	MCAS Next Generation Science All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bessie Buker Elementary	Public	K-5	1 School Street	Wenham	01984	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	No	(978) 468-5324	259	20	13.2		218 (84.2%)	3 (1.2%)	23 (8.9%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	89.5	81^st of 916 public elementary schools	91.2%		83.6	150^th of 928 public elementary schools	83.8%	69	64.1	54.3	66.7	62.1	64.1	68.6	78.6	70.7	83.3	83.3	$17,531	$956	$16,575
Winthrop School	Public	PK, KG-5	325 Bay Rd	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5340	331	28	11.9		285 (86.1%)	3 (0.9%)	19 (5.7%)	16 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	70	278^th of 916 public elementary schools	69.7%		85.6	130^th of 928 public elementary schools	86.0%	148	50.9	62.5	58.1	56.8	38.6	45.8	60.5	47.3	65.1	65.1	$19,962	$700	$19,262
Cutler School	Public	K-5	237 Asbury Street	South Hamilton	01982	Essex County	Hamilton-Wenham	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 468-5330	255	21	12.2		230 (90.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.3%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	37.8	576^th of 916 public elementary schools	37.1%		60.1	377^th of 928 public elementary schools	59.4%	199	55.9	25.0	34.0	37.6	29.4	44.4	21.3	30.8	36.2	36.2	$18,204	$687	$17,517
North Beverly Elementary	Public	K-4	48 Putnam Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6130	347	28	12.3		272 (78.4%)	11 (3.2%)	39 (11.2%)	10 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.0%)	84	133^rd of 916 public elementary schools	85.5%		82.7	157^th of 928 public elementary schools	83.1%	24	57.1	52.3		54.9	67.5	76.9		71.8			$14,652	$878	$13,775
Hannah Elementary	Public	K-4	41R Brimbal Avenue	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	No	(978) 921-6126	320	30	10.7		250 (78.1%)	5 (1.6%)	35 (10.9%)	11 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.3%)	63.4	335^th of 916 public elementary schools	63.4%		63.3	348^th of 928 public elementary schools	62.5%	13	40.0	42.7		41.6	64.0	53.3		57.6			$14,798	$871	$13,928
Centerville Elementary	Public	K-4	17 Hull Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 921-6120	321	29	10.9		224 (69.8%)	11 (3.4%)	54 (16.8%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.1%)	77.9	208^th of 916 public elementary schools	77.3%		65.1	325^th of 928 public elementary schools	65.0%	117	53.0	49.2		51.2	60.6	70.8		65.7			$16,028	$918	$15,111
Willis E Thorpe	Public	PK, KG-5	1 Avon Road	Danvers	01923	Essex County	Danvers	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 774-6946	347	25	13.6		304 (87.6%)	4 (1.2%)	33 (9.5%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	73.6	256^th of 916 public elementary schools	72.1%		76.3	227^th of 928 public elementary schools	75.5%	29	50.0	41.3	45.8	46.2	60.9	65.2	62.5	62.7	62.5	62.5	$16,799	$1,243	$15,556
McKeown School	Public	PK	70 Balch Street	Beverly	01915	Essex County	Beverly	No	No	No	No	(978) 921-6100	110	11	10.0		78 (70.9%)	8 (7.3%)	15 (13.6%)	5 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.6%)								(n/a)											$19,903	$2,349	$17,554
Steward Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	261 Perkins Row	Topsfield	01983	Essex County	Topsfield	No	No	No	Yes	(978) 887-1538	357	30	11.7		318 (89.1%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.6%)	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)								(n/a)	63.4			63.4	51.2			51.2			$19,355	$677	$18,678
Ivan G Smith	Public	K-5	15 Lobao Drive	Danvers	01923	Essex County	Danvers	No	No	No	No	(978) 774-1350	369	27	13.4		294 (79.7%)	21 (5.7%)	41 (11.1%)	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	65.1	319^th of 916 public elementary schools	65.2%		68.5	292^nd of 928 public elementary schools	68.5%	27	46.0	41.1	53.3	46.9	49.2	60.7	61.0	56.7	40.7	40.7	$16,451	$861	$15,590

Bessie Buker Elementary

Bessie Buker Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hamilton-Wenham:

What do you think?

Rank History for Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for all students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Rank History for White students at Bessie Buker Elementary

Enrollment information for Bessie Buker Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bessie Buker Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Bessie Buker Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bessie Buker Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Bessie Buker Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Bessie Buker Elementary