Is Walnut Middle School a good school?

Walnut Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.5% of Nebraska middle schools.

How many students attend Walnut Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 789 students attended Walnut Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Walnut Middle School?

Students at Walnut Middle School are 69% Hispanic, 23% White, 4% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Walnut Middle School attend?

Students who attend Walnut Middle School usually go on to attend Grand Island Senior High School

Walnut Middle School

Summary:

Walnut Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Island, Nebraska, serving 853 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Grand Island Public Schools district, which is ranked 174 out of 182 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Walnut Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Nebraska middle schools over the past decade, currently ranking 181 out of 200 for the 2023-2024 school year.

Walnut Middle School faces significant challenges in academic performance, with consistently lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to state and district averages. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.1% to 26.0% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state and district averages. While the school performs relatively well for English Language Learners and Low Socioeconomic Status students, it struggles significantly with Special Education and Migrant student populations.

In contrast, the nearby Aurora Middle School and Wood River Rural Middle School, which are part of the Aurora Public Schools and Wood River Rural Schools districts, respectively, perform significantly better than Walnut Middle School across various metrics, including test scores and chronic absenteeism. This highlights the need for a comprehensive review of Walnut Middle School's strategies and resources to address the underlying issues and improve the educational experience for its students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1600 N Custer Ave
Grand Island, NE 68803-2550

(308) 385-5990

District: Grand Island Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
181^st of 200 Nebraska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,973

Students who attend Walnut Middle School usually attend:

High:

Grand Island Senior High School

Feeder schools for Walnut Middle School:

Elementary:	Howard Elementary School
	Jefferson Elementary School
	Knickrehm Elementary School
	Lincoln Elementary School
	More...
	Newell Elementary School
	West Lawn Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 789

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.1%

White:

23.2%

African American:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.4%

See top rated Nebraska middle schools

Compare Walnut Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Walnut Middle School ranks worse than 90.5% of middle schools in Nebraska. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Grand Island Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.12. (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 Walnut Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Grand Island Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (69.1%), White (23.2%), African American (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Grand Island Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Walnut Middle School is 12.5. 1 middle schools in the Grand Island Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Walnut Middle School employs 63 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Walnut Middle School is $14,973. 1 middle schools in the Grand Island Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Walnut Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Walnut Middle School 181^st of 200 Nebraska public middle schools. (See Walnut Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Grand Island Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Grand Island Public Schools 174^th of 182 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Walnut Middle School.

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Your rating for Walnut Middle School?

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Rank History for Walnut Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	33.52	190^th	226	15.9%
2007	30.57	188^th	227	17.2%
2008	39.04	195^th	245	20.4%
2009	39.43	190^th	243	21.8%
2010	19.55	233^rd	254	8.3%
2011	24.54	212^th	246	13.8%
2012	21.37	230^th	255	9.8%
2013	19.19	231^st	248	6.9%
2014	18.39	227^th	252	9.9%
2015	16.10	238^th	256	7.0%
2016	13.17	239^th	255	6.3%
2017	5.03	230^th	236	2.5%
2018	6.17	218^th	225	3.1%
2019	4.04	241^st	247	2.4%
2021	10.22	211^th	223	5.4%
2022	13.30	233^rd	249	6.4%
2023	18.44	207^th	238	13.0%
2024	14.12	181^st	200	9.5%

See the entire list of Nebraska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	18.27	20^th	22	9.1%
2019	21.29	12^th	15	20.0%
2021	36.76	16^th	27	40.7%
2022	28.13	2^nd	2	0.0%
2023	67.33	10^th	35	71.4%
2024	52.34	10^th	22	54.5%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	7.78	43^rd	44	2.3%
2023	9.76	69^th	70	1.4%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	14.50	112^th	120	6.7%
2019	8.74	114^th	123	7.3%
2021	20.48	97^th	115	15.7%
2022	26.99	93^rd	118	21.2%
2023	36.33	107^th	144	25.7%
2024	34.76	63^rd	92	31.5%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	29.30	8^th	9	11.1%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	14.32	11^th	11	0.0%
2022	54.00	4^th	5	20.0%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	7.17	141^st	147	4.1%
2019	4.55	151^st	156	3.2%
2021	10.15	127^th	137	7.3%
2022	12.14	135^th	150	10.0%
2023	21.80	122^nd	146	16.4%
2024	18.08	88^th	106	17.0%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	5.90	136^th	141	3.5%
2019	4.23	148^th	153	3.3%
2021	10.13	136^th	144	5.6%
2022	15.37	144^th	160	10.0%
2023	19.53	135^th	156	13.5%
2024	21.30	85^th	106	19.8%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	16.57	51^st	56	8.9%
2019	13.71	57^th	62	8.1%
2021	25.47	47^th	59	20.3%
2022	35.83	38^th	61	37.7%
2023	47.05	39^th	67	41.8%
2024	43.38	37^th	56	33.9%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Walnut Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	11.67	191^st	203	5.9%
2019	7.34	218^th	222	1.8%
2021	12.83	195^th	204	4.4%
2022	16.26	213^th	234	9.0%
2023	22.05	188^th	217	13.4%
2024	21.16	119^th	141	15.6%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for White Students!

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student on FaceBook
Wednesday, May 21, 2014

One of the best academic and good character schools I've been to. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Walnut Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	678	4	18	55	1	n/a	n/a	0	756
1989	663	8	17	57	2	n/a	n/a	0	747
1990	718	7	24	56	3	n/a	n/a	0	808
1991	703	5	19	55	5	n/a	n/a	0	787
1992	687	5	22	74	6	n/a	n/a	0	794
1993	677	5	24	106	5	n/a	n/a	0	817
1994	688	5	28	115	3	n/a	n/a	0	839
1995	619	6	23	132	6	n/a	n/a	0	786
1996	619	6	23	132	6	n/a	n/a	0	786
1997	541	11	28	142	8	n/a	n/a	0	730
1998	524	8	22	148	4	n/a	n/a	0	706
1999	501	7	16	77	5	n/a	n/a	90	696
2000	477	9	25	182	3	n/a	n/a	0	696
2001	466	6	17	199	4	n/a	n/a	0	692
2002	486	4	16	263	0	n/a	n/a	0	769
2003	486	4	16	263	0	n/a	n/a	0	769
2004	461	6	19	329	2	n/a	n/a	0	817
2005	430	4	11	361	2	n/a	n/a	0	808
2006	411	10	13	364	3	n/a	n/a	0	801
2007	396	10	10	450	1	n/a	n/a	0	867
2008	375	18	17	413	7	n/a	n/a	0	830
2009	393	25	10	436	7	n/a	n/a	0	871
2010	341	18	6	456	6	n/a	n/a	0	827
2011	281	14	7	492	10	0	18	0	822
2012	289	17	10	484	8	1	13	0	822
2013	258	30	7	508	9	0	14	0	826
2014	283	30	14	528	11	1	0	0	867
2015	248	40	13	560	8	0	2	0	871
2016	220	31	15	551	7	0	0	0	824
2017	200	41	16	556	5	0	0	0	818
2018	200	35	6	516	2	1	11	0	771
2019	186	42	5	538	5	2	8	0	786
2020	189	30	3	525	7	1	10	0	765
2021	217	27	8	571	7	0	19	0	849
2022	207	25	8	603	4	0	25	0	872
2023	217	31	9	570	3	0	23	0	853
2024	183	29	9	545	5	0	18	0	789

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 Walnut Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	756	47.6	15.8	20.1
1989	747	49.2	15.1	20.2
1990	808	51.2	15.7	20.5
1991	787	51.8	15.1	17.2
1992	794	49.5	16.0	21.9
1993	817	49.9	16.4	22.8
1994	839	49.7	16.9	24.6
1995	786	49.6	15.8	34.7
1996	786	49.6	15.8	34.7
1997	730	51.2	14.3	39
1998	706	59.2	11.9	43.9
1999	696	61.2	11.4	62.7
2000	696	61.5	11.3	60.9
2001	692	62.2	11.1	58.5
2002	769	62.3	12.3	56.3
2003	769	62.3	12.3	56.3
2004	817	61.8	13.2	62.2
2005	808	61.3	13.2	64.7
2006	801	60.3	13.3	69.3
2007	867	62.2	13.9	72
2008	830	61.7	13.5	70.4
2009	871	64.0	13.6	73.9
2010	827	62.2	13.2	74.1
2011	822	63.3	12.9	75.1
2012	822	57.1	14.3	77.7
2013	826	56.6	14.5	84.3
2014	867	60.7	14.2	81.3
2015	871	61.0	14.2	79.9
2016	824	61.0	13.5	84.3
2017	818	61.0	13.3	84.2
2018	771	62.0	12.4	85.3
2019	786	64.0	12.2	83.6
2020	765	64.0	11.9	79.2
2021	849	65.0	13.0	77.1
2022	872	63.2	13.7	65.6
2023	853	61.5	13.8	78
2024	789	63.0	12.5	81.4

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 Walnut Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	756	47.6	15.8	20.1
1989	747	49.2	15.1	20.2
1990	808	51.2	15.7	20.5
1991	787	51.8	15.1	17.2
1992	794	49.5	16.0	21.9
1993	817	49.9	16.4	22.8
1994	839	49.7	16.9	24.6
1995	786	49.6	15.8	34.7
1996	786	49.6	15.8	34.7
1997	730	51.2	14.3	39
1998	706	59.2	11.9	43.9
1999	696	61.2	11.4	62.7
2000	696	61.5	11.3	60.9
2001	692	62.2	11.1	58.5
2002	769	62.3	12.3	56.3
2003	769	62.3	12.3	56.3
2004	817	61.8	13.2	62.2
2005	808	61.3	13.2	64.7
2006	801	60.3	13.3	69.3
2007	867	62.2	13.9	72
2008	830	61.7	13.5	70.4
2009	871	64.0	13.6	73.9
2010	827	62.2	13.2	74.1
2011	822	63.3	12.9	75.1
2012	822	57.1	14.3	77.7
2013	826	56.6	14.5	84.3
2014	867	60.7	14.2	81.3
2015	871	61.0	14.2	79.9
2016	824	61.0	13.5	84.3
2017	818	61.0	13.3	84.2
2018	771	62.0	12.4	85.3
2019	786	64.0	12.2	83.6
2020	765	64.0	11.9	79.2
2021	849	65.0	13.0	77.1
2022	872	63.2	13.7	65.6
2023	853	61.5	13.8	78
2024	789	63.0	12.5	81.4

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 Walnut Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$955 (7.2%)	$11,067 (83.3%)	$13,283
2020	$1,521 (10.5%)	$11,714 (80.5%)	$14,543
2021	$1,663 (11.7%)	$11,241 (79.3%)	$14,173
2022	$1,669 (11.6%)	$11,292 (78.8%)	$14,339
2023	$1,486 (9.9%)	$11,706 (78.2%)	$14,973

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Walnut Middle 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 241^st of 247 Middle schools	Ranks 207^th of 238 Middle schools	10.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Middle School)	25	38	13%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Island Public Schools)	37	39	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	55	6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Walnut Middle School)	26	46	20%
6th Grade Mathematics (Grand Island Public Schools)	40	52	12%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	55	57	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Middle School)	27	46	19%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Island Public Schools)	40	44	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	54	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Walnut Middle School)	24	55	31%
7th Grade Mathematics (Grand Island Public Schools)	38	59	21%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	48	66	18%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Walnut Middle School)	28	44	16%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Grand Island Public Schools)	36	51	15%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	50	62	12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Walnut Middle School)	25	55	30%
8th Grade Mathematics (Grand Island Public Schools)	31	55	24%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	47	61	14%
8th Grade Science (Walnut Middle School)	26	53	27%
8th Grade Science (Grand Island Public Schools)	36	59	23%
8th Grade Science (Nebraska)	62	64	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	786	853	8.5%
African American	42	31	26.2%
American Indian	5	3	40%
Asian	5	9	80%
Hispanic	538	570	5.9%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	186	217	16.7%
Two or More Races	8	23	187.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	83.6%	78%	5.6%

Schools Near Walnut Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Walnut Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 N Custer Ave	Grand Island	68803	Hall County	Grand Island Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(308) 385-5990	789	63	12.5	81.4%	183 (23.2%)	29 (3.7%)	545 (69.1%)	9 (1.1%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.3%)	14.1	181^st of 200 public middle schools	9.5%		18.4	207^th of 238 public middle schools	13.0%	26	$14,973	$1,486	$11,706
Westridge Middle School	Public	6-8	4111 W 13th St	Grand Island	68803	Hall County	Grand Island Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 385-5886	624	51	12.3	50.8%	354 (56.7%)	13 (2.1%)	220 (35.3%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.6%)	29.5	157^th of 200 public middle schools	21.5%		45.5	147^th of 238 public middle schools	38.2%	10	$15,907	$1,607	$12,154
Barr Middle School	Public	6-8	602 W Stolley Park Rd	Grand Island	68801	Hall County	Grand Island Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 385-5875	663	52	12.7	75.4%	176 (26.5%)	52 (7.8%)	414 (62.4%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	11 (1.7%)	13.9	183^rd of 200 public middle schools	8.5%		18	209^th of 238 public middle schools	12.2%	26	$14,729	$1,127	$11,362
Wood River Rural Middle School	Public	6-8	13800 W Wood River Rd	Wood River	68883	Hall County	Wood River Rural Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 583-2249	109	9	11.8	45.9%	82 (75.2%)	2 (1.8%)	21 (19.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	2 (1.8%)	75.4	41^st of 200 public middle schools	79.5%		52.6	126^th of 238 public middle schools	47.1%	85	$493	$00	$462
Aurora Middle School	Public	6-8	300 L St	Aurora	68818	Hamilton County	Aurora Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 694-6923	265	24	11.2	32.1%	229 (86.4%)	2 (0.8%)	24 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.4%)	74.9	43^rd of 200 public middle schools	78.5%		66.9	70^th of 238 public middle schools	70.6%	27	$19,769	$46	$15,447

Walnut Middle School

Walnut Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Grand Island Public Schools:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Walnut Middle School

Rank History for all students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Migrant students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Homeless students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Walnut Middle School

Rank History for White students at Walnut Middle School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Walnut Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Walnut Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Walnut Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Walnut Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Walnut Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Walnut Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Walnut Middle School

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