Southside K-8

Southside K-8 is one of the moderately sized elementary schools in War, West Virginia, one of the schools within McDowell County Schools, with 266 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 8.

McDowell County Schools comprises 9 schools with combined enrollment of 2,312 students; Southside K-8 is among them.

Looking at the student body, Southside K-8 logs that nearly all students (93%) are White. Other groups include 3% Black, 3% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Southside K-8 has 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 12.9:1, putting Southside K-8 tighter than the state norm the norm.

Across the wider county, census data for McDowell County shows median household earnings sit near $31,559, roughly 7% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 30%. In all, McDowell County runs 11 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,312 students), of which Southside K-8 is one.

River View High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 7.9 miles from this campus. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 32%: 394 students in 2018 compared to 266 in 2025.

On this page, the feed for Southside K-8 typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.