Houlton Southside School

Houlton Southside School operates as a heavily attended primary school in Houlton, Maine, run under RSU 29/MSAD 29. Current enrollment sits at 368 students spanning grades 3 through 6. Compared to the state average of about 229 students per school, that is 61% above typical.

RSU 29/MSAD 29 comprises 4 schools with combined enrollment of 1,214 students; Houlton Southside School is among them.

On the student-mix side, Houlton Southside School reports that the student body is overwhelmingly White (83%); the rest is composed of 11% Native American, 2% multiracial, 2% Pacific Islander. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 93%.

Looking at school resources, Houlton Southside School logs 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 15.4:1. The state averages around 10.5:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. About 61% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Aroostook County indicate median household income runs about $56,700, about 23% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Aroostook County's 42 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,529 students), Houlton Southside School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Houlton Elementary School, roughly 0.1 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 5 other public schools cluster around Houlton Southside School.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Looking at the recent track record. Houlton Southside School's enrollment has expanded 21% since 2018, when it stood at 305 (now 368).

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.