Hawthorne School

Hawthorne School, a high-enrollment primary school in Missoula, Montana, part of Missoula Elem, hosts 417 students, covering grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 167 students per school, that is 150% larger than typical.

Across the 14 schools in Missoula Elem (5,293 students total), Hawthorne School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Hawthorne School records that 79% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder reads as 7% multiracial, 7% Native American, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian. By comparison, Missoula County as a whole is about 87% White, so the school skews visibly less White than its surroundings.

On the resource side, Hawthorne School reports 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.2:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 11.9:1 average. Roughly 53% of students at Hawthorne School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Missoula County runs at roughly 41%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Missoula County indicate median household earnings sit near $75,598, roughly 47% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 5%. Hawthorne School is one of 47 public schools in Missoula County (combined enrollment of about 14,099 students).

Big Sky High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.1 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Hawthorne School.

The campus sits in a metropolitan setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 12%: 371 students in 2018 compared to 417 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.