Bonsack Elementary

Bonsack Elementary is an intimate elementary campus in Roanoke, Virginia, overseen by Roanoke County Public Schools. The school hosts 311 students in grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 499 students per school, that is 38% smaller than typical.

Across the 26 schools in Roanoke County Public Schools (13,735 students total), Bonsack Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Bonsack Elementary records that nearly all students (81%) are White; the rest is composed of 8% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4% multiracial, 3% Black. Compared to Roanoke County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 12.7:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 13.8:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 23% of students at Bonsack Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Roanoke County (around 49%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Bonsack Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 82.0%; this one delivers 93.9%.

Zooming out to the county, community-level numbers for Roanoke County indicate median household earnings sit near $83,709, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Bonsack Elementary is one of 26 public schools in Roanoke County (combined enrollment of about 13,154 students).

Nearest neighbor: Read Mountain Middle, around 2.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Bonsack Elementary. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Bonsack Elementary at 1st of 9; the average score across the group is 76.2%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Bonsack Elementary has fell 15%, going from 366 students in 2018 to 311 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment increased from 3% to 8% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 14.9:1 in 2018 to 12.7:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.