THAYER ELEM.

THAYER ELEM., a low-enrollment K-5 school in FT LEONARD WOOD, Missouri, run under WAYNESVILLE R-VI, caters to 242 students, covering grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 315 students per school, that is 23% leaner than typical.

THAYER ELEM. is one of 10 schools operated by WAYNESVILLE R-VI, a district that educates 6,190 students overall.

Demographically, THAYER ELEM. logs that White students make up the majority at 56%; the rest comes out to 20% Hispanic, 11% Black, 11% multiracial. By comparison, Pulaski County as a whole is about 72% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, The school reports having 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.2:1. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 44% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, THAYER ELEM. tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 50.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 65.9%.

In the surrounding community, census data for Pulaski County shows median household earnings sit near $64,466, about 26% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Across Pulaski County's 23 public schools (combined enrollment of about 9,884 students), THAYER ELEM. is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is WOOD ELEM., roughly 1.9 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. On composite proficiency, THAYER ELEM. comes 3rd of 8 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 57.0%.

THAYER ELEM. operates from a town-based location.

Trend over the last 7 years. THAYER ELEM.'s enrollment has contracted 14% since 2018, when it stood at 282 (now 242). Over the same period, the Hispanic share increased from 9% to 20%. Class-load math has fell: from 15.7:1 in 2018 to 14.2:1 in 2025.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.