Celeste Henkel Elementary

Celeste Henkel Elementary is a middle-of-the-pack elementary campus in Statesville, North Carolina, part of Iredell-Statesville Schools. The school teaches 558 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 38 schools in Iredell-Statesville Schools (21,017 students total), Celeste Henkel Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Celeste Henkel Elementary lists that 61% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder looks like 17% Hispanic, 12% Black, 8% multiracial. By comparison, Iredell County as a whole is about 74% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Celeste Henkel Elementary has 42 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 13.4:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 14.9:1 average. An estimated 99% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Iredell County (around 61%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Celeste Henkel Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 48.6%; this one delivers 58.1%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Iredell County) reports that median household income runs about $81,419, roughly 34% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. In all, Iredell County runs 52 public schools (combined enrollment of about 31,906 students), of which Celeste Henkel Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is West Iredell Middle, roughly 2.2 miles away. Within five miles, there are 5 other public schools. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Celeste Henkel Elementary ranks 2nd on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 40.0%.

The campus sits in an outlying setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count rose 8%: 516 students in 2018 compared to 558 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 71% to 61% over that span. Class-load math has tightened: from 14.6:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.