Newell Middle School - 04

Newell Middle School - 04 is a rural-scale junior high in Newell, South Dakota, part of Newell School District 09-2. The school instructs 48 students in grades 6 through 8. That puts it 74% leaner than the typical public school in South Dakota, which averages around 187 students.

Newell School District 09-2 comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 230 students; Newell Middle School - 04 is among them.

On demographics, Newell Middle School - 04 logs that 90% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. Beyond that, the school lists 4% Hispanic, 4% Native American, 2% Black. That composition is broadly in line with Butte County as a whole.

In terms of school funding signals, The school lists 4 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.4:1, putting Newell Middle School - 04 tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 54% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Butte County runs at roughly 44%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Newell Middle School - 04 tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 40.8% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 50.0%.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Butte County put median household earnings sit near $75,652, about 20% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Butte County's 8 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,504 students), Newell Middle School - 04 is one campus in the mix.

Newell Elementary - 02 is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 2 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Newell Middle School - 04 at 2nd of 5; the average score across the group is 52.3%.

The school occupies an outlying site.

Five-year trend. Newell Middle School - 04's enrollment has contracted 41% since 2018, when it stood at 81 (now 48). White enrollment moved from 78% to 90% across the same window. Class-load math has widened: from 10.3:1 in 2018 to 11.4:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.