Northwood Pre-School

Set in Ames, Iowa, Northwood Pre-School is a cozy elementary-level community, operated by Ames Comm School District. It hosts 244 students across grade pre-K. Compared to the state average of about 325 students per school, that is 25% smaller than typical.

Within Ames Comm School District, which oversees 8 schools and 4,688 students, Northwood Pre-School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Northwood Pre-School lists that 58% of the student body identifies as White; the rest looks like 14% Hispanic, 13% Black, 9% multiracial, 7% Asian. By comparison, Story County as a whole is about 82% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Northwood Pre-School has 11 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 22.3:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.7:1 average. An estimated 41% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Story County runs at roughly 28%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

In the surrounding community, census data for Story County shows median household income runs about $69,685, about 55% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. Northwood Pre-School is one of 26 public schools in Story County (combined enrollment of about 11,665 students).

Nearest neighbor: Fellows Elementary School, around 0.7 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a high-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Northwood Pre-School's enrollment has fell 23% since 2018, when it stood at 317 (now 244). Hispanic enrollment moved from 5% to 14% across the same window. Class-load math has pulled in: from 32.7:1 in 2018 to 22.3:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Northwood Pre-School typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.