Waterway Elementary

Set in Little River, South Carolina, Waterway Elementary is a sprawling elementary-level community, operated by Horry 01. It works with 912 students across grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 526 students per school, that is 73% larger than typical.

Waterway Elementary is one of 55 schools operated by Horry 01, a district that instructs 48,662 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Waterway Elementary records that the largest single group is White at 48%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder reads as 20% Hispanic, 18% Black, 12% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 77% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 56 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.3:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 13.3:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical.

Around the school, census data for Horry County shows median household income runs about $66,880, 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Horry County's 60 public schools (combined enrollment of about 49,639 students), Waterway Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is North Myrtle Beach Middle, roughly 0.1 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 4 other public schools cluster around Waterway Elementary.

Geographically, the school is in a residential area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Waterway Elementary has grew 36%, going from 670 students in 2018 to 912 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 14% to 20% across the same window.

Inside the community feed, members of the Waterway Elementary community share and discuss science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.