Wayne Thomas Elem School

As a medium-sized elementary campus in Highland Park, Illinois, Wayne Thomas Elem School educates 449 students from grades K through 5, overseen by North Shore SD 112.

Across the 9 schools in North Shore SD 112 (3,730 students total), Wayne Thomas Elem School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Wayne Thomas Elem School logs that White students make up the majority at 75%. The remainder is composed of 13% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 4% Asian, 2% Black. By comparison, Lake County as a whole is about 61% White, so the school skews visibly more White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Wayne Thomas Elem School shows 33 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.6:1. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers.

Across the wider county, Lake County reports that median household income runs about $110,416, about 48% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Wayne Thomas Elem School is one of 214 public schools in Lake County (combined enrollment of about 118,032 students).

The closest other public school is Northwood Middle School, roughly 0.1 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Wayne Thomas Elem School.

The school occupies an outer-ring site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Wayne Thomas Elem School's enrollment has expanded 50% since 2018, when it stood at 299 (now 449). Class-load math has grew: from 11.0:1 in 2018 to 13.6:1 in 2025.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.