HAWTHORN HILL ELEM.

HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. is a mid-tier elementary-level community in LEE'S SUMMIT, Missouri, run under LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII. The school serves 444 students in grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 41% above typical.

Within LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII, which oversees 28 schools and 17,695 students, HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. is one campus in the system.

In terms of who attends, HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. lists that 68% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 12% Black, 9% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 4% Asian.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 17.2:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 12.4:1, putting HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. higher than the state norm the norm. About 14% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Jackson County runs at roughly 60%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully below the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 51.0%; this one delivers 56.3%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Jackson County) reports that median household income runs about $68,577, about 34% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. is one of 244 public schools in Jackson County (combined enrollment of about 105,714 students).

Nearest neighbor: LEE'S SUMMIT WEST HIGH, around 0.8 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts HAWTHORN HILL ELEM. at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 46.9%.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Looking at the recent track record. HAWTHORN HILL ELEM.'s enrollment has edged down 19% since 2018, when it stood at 550 (now 444). White enrollment moved from 79% to 68% across the same window. Class-load math has widened: from 16.2:1 in 2018 to 17.2:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.