Marie Murphy School

Marie Murphy School is a modestly sized junior high in Wilmette, Illinois, operated by Avoca SD 37. The school educates 253 students in grades 6 through 8. That puts it 45% below the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 462 students.

Avoca SD 37 comprises 2 schools with combined enrollment of 566 students; Marie Murphy School is among them.

In terms of who attends, Marie Murphy School logs that 46% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest breaks down as 28% Asian, 14% Hispanic, 9% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Cook County as a whole.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 27 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 9.5:1. The state averages around 13.0:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

Zooming out to the county, Cook County reports that median household earnings sit near $83,498, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Marie Murphy School is one of 1406 public schools in Cook County (combined enrollment of about 697,934 students).

Harper Elem School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.6 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked down 11%: 284 students in 2018 compared to 253 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 59% to 46%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 10.7:1 in 2018 to 9.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Marie Murphy School typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.