Is Paynesville Area Elementary a good school?

Paynesville Area Elementary ranks 215 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Paynesville Area Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 405 students attended Paynesville Area Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Paynesville Area Elementary?

Students at Paynesville Area Elementary are 92% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Paynesville Area Elementary attend?

Students who attend Paynesville Area Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Paynesville Area Secondary School

Paynesville Area Elementary

Summary:

Paynesville Area Elementary is a public elementary school serving 405 students in grades PK-5 in Paynesville, Minnesota, which is part of the Eden Valley-Watkins School District. The school consistently performs above the state average in MCA-III proficiency rates for Math, Reading, and Science, with particularly strong performance in 3rd and 4th grade Math.

Paynesville Area Elementary's academic performance is a key strength, with the school ranking in the top 50% of Minnesota elementary schools over the past decade. The school's performance is strong across various student subgroups, including female students, male students, special education students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. However, the school's performance for White students has declined in recent years, ranking in the bottom 25% of Minnesota elementary schools in 2021-2022.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Albany Elementary and Prairie Woods Elementary, Paynesville Area Elementary generally performs at a higher level, particularly in Math and Science proficiency. The school's strong performance for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds suggests that it is effectively addressing the unique needs of this student subgroup. As the school continues to improve, analyzing the practices and strategies employed by other high-performing schools in the area could provide valuable insights to further enhance its educational outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

205 W Mill St
Paynesville, MN 56362-1444

(320) 243-3725

District: Paynesville Area Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
215^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,355

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 405

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.3%

Hispanic:

5.4%

Two or more races:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.9%

See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

Compare Paynesville Area Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Paynesville Area Elementary ranks better than 75.6% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.05. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.3%), Hispanic (5.4%), two or more races (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 29.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paynesville Area Elementary is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Paynesville Area Elementary employs 28.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paynesville Area Elementary is $11,355.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Paynesville Area Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Paynesville Area Elementary 215^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Paynesville Area Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Paynesville Area Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Paynesville Area Schools 214^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Paynesville Area Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2003	57.57	332^nd	674	50.7%
2004	53.23	375^th	676	44.5%
2005	58.41	325^th	685	52.6%
2006	48.64	476^th	756	37.0%
2007	62.44	305^th	777	60.7%
2008	59.22	367^th	781	53.0%
2010	50.36	523^rd	803	34.9%
2011	52.22	486^th	814	40.3%
2012	60.34	396^th	820	51.7%
2013	73.38	193^rd	824	76.6%
2014	76.52	147^th	826	82.2%
2015	79.52	115^th	840	86.3%
2016	74.27	195^th	848	77.0%
2017	76.69	171^st	853	80.0%
2018	75.05	188^th	847	77.8%
2019	62.04	375^th	870	56.9%
2021	53.84	460^th	869	47.1%
2022	45.11	540^th	858	37.1%
2023	70.14	250^th	845	70.4%
2024	74.05	215^th	881	75.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	66.97	124^th	463	73.2%
2019	62.33	184^th	515	64.3%
2023	70.51	113^th	524	78.4%
2024	67.83	134^th	572	76.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	78.89	87^th	728	88.0%
2019	65.20	240^th	740	67.6%
2021	51.22	346^th	683	49.3%
2022	62.04	220^th	663	66.8%
2023	69.14	198^th	774	74.4%
2024	69.92	204^th	793	74.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	74.29	176^th	774	77.3%
2019	58.75	376^th	787	52.2%
2021	53.39	424^th	783	45.8%
2022	46.78	473^rd	799	40.8%
2023	64.95	292^nd	787	62.9%
2024	72.42	202^nd	809	75.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	72.87	200^th	779	74.3%
2019	60.72	365^th	798	54.3%
2021	49.32	463^rd	784	40.9%
2022	43.10	539^th	808	33.3%
2023	71.34	217^th	799	72.8%
2024	70.32	223^rd	826	73.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	60.39	271^st	712	61.9%
2019	37.95	526^th	722	27.1%
2021	30.20	571^st	710	19.6%
2022	21.27	641^st	725	11.6%
2023	51.20	356^th	712	50.0%
2024	57.66	295^th	730	59.6%

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

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Paynesville Area Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	602	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	605
1989	616	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	617
1990	597	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	597
1991	580	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	582
1992	666	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	671
1993	670	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	674
1994	658	2	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	667
1995	594	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1996	594	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1997	587	2	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	596
1998	540	2	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	17	564
1999	542	2	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	549
2000	522	0	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
2001	497	0	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	503
2002	455	4	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
2003	455	4	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
2004	444	4	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2005	467	5	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	477
2006	472	8	3	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	494
2007	470	4	6	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	491
2008	478	6	9	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	508
2009	479	8	6	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	503
2010	492	7	6	9	4	n/a	n/a	0	518
2011	470	7	3	18	0	1	2	0	501
2012	453	6	2	20	0	1	8	0	490
2013	455	5	1	25	0	1	5	0	492
2014	429	2	1	16	0	1	9	0	458
2015	433	1	1	12	0	1	8	0	456
2016	407	0	1	15	0	0	8	0	431
2017	397	0	0	17	0	0	8	0	422
2018	381	0	0	14	0	0	7	0	402
2019	381	2	0	10	0	0	8	0	401
2020	397	1	0	11	0	0	12	0	421
2021	369	1	0	17	0	0	8	0	395
2022	376	2	0	20	0	0	6	0	404
2023	374	1	1	22	1	0	6	0	405

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 Paynesville Area Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	605	31.4	19.2	16
1989	617	36.4	16.9	15.9
1990	597	35.3	16.9	14.1
1991	582	33.5	17.3	16.5
1992	671	39.4	17.0	18.8
1993	674	37.2	18.1	17.4
1994	667	38.6	17.3	19.6
1995	599	30.9	19.4	19
1996	599	30.9	19.4	19
1997	596	37.1	16.1	15.9
1998	564	n/a	0.0	19.7
1999	549	40.3	13.6	14.9
2000	528	36.1	14.6	27.7
2001	503	32.7	15.4	31
2002	461	30.5	15.1	32.8
2003	461	30.5	15.1	32.8
2004	450	30.3	14.9	42.2
2005	477	29.6	16.1	38.4
2006	494	31.3	15.8	40.3
2007	491	30.3	16.2	41.3
2008	508	31.1	16.3	37.8
2009	503	32.9	15.3	38
2010	518	34.1	15.1	45
2011	501	34.5	14.5	42.7
2012	490	34.2	14.3	45.3
2013	492	33.0	14.8	41.5
2014	458	32.6	14.0	38
2015	456	31.0	14.7	39.5
2016	431	30.0	14.3	38.7
2017	422	29.8	14.1	34.4
2018	402	31.0	12.9	34.3
2019	401	31.0	12.9	34.4
2020	421	29.4	14.2	28.3
2021	395	32.1	12.2	19.7
2022	404	28.4	14.2	17.8
2023	405	28.2	14.3	29.9

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 Paynesville Area Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	605	31.4	19.2	16
1989	617	36.4	16.9	15.9
1990	597	35.3	16.9	14.1
1991	582	33.5	17.3	16.5
1992	671	39.4	17.0	18.8
1993	674	37.2	18.1	17.4
1994	667	38.6	17.3	19.6
1995	599	30.9	19.4	19
1996	599	30.9	19.4	19
1997	596	37.1	16.1	15.9
1998	564	n/a	0.0	19.7
1999	549	40.3	13.6	14.9
2000	528	36.1	14.6	27.7
2001	503	32.7	15.4	31
2002	461	30.5	15.1	32.8
2003	461	30.5	15.1	32.8
2004	450	30.3	14.9	42.2
2005	477	29.6	16.1	38.4
2006	494	31.3	15.8	40.3
2007	491	30.3	16.2	41.3
2008	508	31.1	16.3	37.8
2009	503	32.9	15.3	38
2010	518	34.1	15.1	45
2011	501	34.5	14.5	42.7
2012	490	34.2	14.3	45.3
2013	492	33.0	14.8	41.5
2014	458	32.6	14.0	38
2015	456	31.0	14.7	39.5
2016	431	30.0	14.3	38.7
2017	422	29.8	14.1	34.4
2018	402	31.0	12.9	34.3
2019	401	31.0	12.9	34.4
2020	421	29.4	14.2	28.3
2021	395	32.1	12.2	19.7
2022	404	28.4	14.2	17.8
2023	405	28.2	14.3	29.9

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 Paynesville Area Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,355

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paynesville Area 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 375^th of 870 Elementary schools	Ranks 250^th of 845 Elementary schools	13.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Paynesville Area Elementary)	72.9	76.7	3.8%
3rd Grade Math (Paynesville Area Schools)	72.9	76.7	3.8%
3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)	65.6	59.1	6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Elementary)	58.6	71.7	13.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Schools)	58.6	71.7	13.1%
3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)	54.6	47.4	7.2%
4th Grade Math (Paynesville Area Elementary)	67.7	54.9	12.7%
4th Grade Math (Paynesville Area Schools)	67.7	54.9	12.7%
4th Grade Math (Minnesota)	63.9	57.1	6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Elementary)	53.6	53.6
4th Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Schools)	53.6	53.6
4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	55.4	48.4	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Paynesville Area Elementary)	52.9	44.4	8.5%
5th Grade Math (Paynesville Area Schools)	52.9	44.4	8.5%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Elementary)	68.7	61.5	7.1%
5th Grade Reading (Paynesville Area Schools)	68.7	61.5	7.1%
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Paynesville Area Elementary)	58.8	57.4	1.4%
5th Grade Science (Paynesville Area Schools)	58.8	57.4	1.4%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	401	405	1%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	10	22	120%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	381	374	1.8%
Two or More Races	8	6	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.4%	29.9%	4.5%

Schools Near Paynesville Area Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III Science (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	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Paynesville Area Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	205 W Mill St	Paynesville	56362	Stearns County	Paynesville Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 243-3725	405	28	14.3	29.9%	374 (92.3%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	74	215^th of 881 public elementary schools	75.6%		70.1	250^th of 845 public elementary schools	70.4%	35	71.6	64.5	52.7		62.9	58.1	62.9	53.4		57.9	63.5	63.5	$11,355
Eden Valley Elementary	Public	K-6	901 Stearns Ave E	Eden Valley	55329	Meeker County	Eden Valley-Watkins School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 453-2900	403	26	15.4	34.7%	376 (93.3%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	78	161^st of 881 public elementary schools	81.7%		71.6	233^rd of 845 public elementary schools	72.4%	72	69.1	74.6	49.2	56.5	62.1	47.3	55.6	68.3	67.7	60.1	76.2	76.2	$10,332
Richmond Elementary	Public	K-5	34 2nd St NE	Richmond	56368	Stearns County	Rocori Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 597-2016	133	10	13.8	29.3%	109 (82.0%)	3 (2.3%)	10 (7.5%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.5%)	44.8	546^th of 881 public elementary schools	38.0%		85.2	89^th of 845 public elementary schools	89.5%	457	65.2	52.0	20.0		45.2	43.5	40.0	60.0		48.0	32.0	32.0	$11,339
Prairie Woods Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	17435 County Road 9 NE	New London	56273	Kandiyohi County	New London-Spicer School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 354-2252	567	39	14.6	32.6%	502 (88.5%)	2 (0.4%)	51 (9.0%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	73.8	221^st of 881 public elementary schools	74.9%		76.7	186^th of 845 public elementary schools	78.0%	35	62.2	71.9			67.0	51.3	63.5			57.3			$11,812
Cold Spring Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	601 Red River Ave N	Cold Spring	56320	Stearns County	Rocori Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 685-7534	618	45	13.8	37.1%	504 (81.6%)	4 (0.6%)	96 (15.5%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	53	455^th of 881 public elementary schools	48.4%		40.6	570^th of 845 public elementary schools	32.5%	115	69.6	54.9	38.5		54.7	53.9	43.1	51.0		49.3	32.3	32.3	$12,776
Watkins Elementary	Public	PK-K	161 School Ave	Watkins	55389	Meeker County	Eden Valley-Watkins School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 453-2900	57	6	10.0	35.1%	54 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$3,483
A.C.G.C. Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	302 S 2nd St	Atwater	56209	Kandiyohi County	A.C.G.C. Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 244-4686	344	31	11.2	53.5%	295 (85.8%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	48.5	509^th of 881 public elementary schools	42.2%		65.6	300^th of 845 public elementary schools	64.5%	209	47.6	63.4			56.0	27.0	52.1			40.3			$12,613
Albany Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10 Forest Ave	Albany	56307	Stearns County	Albany Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 845-2161	498	34	14.4	32.1%	455 (91.4%)	6 (1.2%)	23 (4.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.4%)	72.6	228^th of 881 public elementary schools	74.1%		69.5	258^th of 845 public elementary schools	69.5%	30	71.4	63.5	64.8		66.4	52.0	44.7	64.8		54.0	61.4	61.4	$10,474
Rockville Elementary	Public	K-5	415 W Broadway	Rockville	56369	Stearns County	Rocori Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 251-8651	133	10	12.8	30.1%	113 (85.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	51.3	478^th of 881 public elementary schools	45.7%		42.5	558^th of 845 public elementary schools	34.0%	80	71.4	71.4	28.0		55.2	71.4	42.9	44.0		52.2	24.0	24.0	$11,865

Paynesville Area Elementary

Paynesville Area Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Paynesville Area Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for all students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Rank History for White students at Paynesville Area Elementary

Enrollment information for Paynesville Area Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Paynesville Area Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Paynesville Area Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Paynesville Area Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Paynesville Area Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Paynesville Area Elementary