June Nelson Elementary

June Nelson Elementary is an average-sized primary school in Kotzebue, Alaska, run under Northwest Arctic Borough School District. The school educates 302 students in grades pre-K through 5.

June Nelson Elementary is one of 13 schools operated by Northwest Arctic Borough School District, a district that enrolls 1,945 students overall.

On the student-mix side, June Nelson Elementary lists that the student body is overwhelmingly Native American (82%). Other groups include 12% multiracial, 3% White, 3% Asian.

On the resource side, The school currently runs with 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.9:1. That tracks the state average closely. About 83% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Northwest Arctic Borough (around 94%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

In the surrounding community, census data for Northwest Arctic Borough shows the typical household earns roughly $84,018 per year, 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 15%. June Nelson Elementary is one of 13 public schools in Northwest Arctic Borough (combined enrollment of about 1,945 students).

The closest other public school is Kotzebue Middle/High School, roughly 0.0 miles away. 2 of the 2 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The school occupies a rural site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at June Nelson Elementary has edged down 24%, going from 397 students in 2018 to 302 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.