Pelican Elementary

As a low-enrollment K-5 school in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Pelican Elementary educates 263 students from grades pre-K through 5, run under Rhinelander School District.

Pelican Elementary is one of 6 schools operated by Rhinelander School District, a district that educates 2,224 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Pelican Elementary records that the student body is overwhelmingly White (91%). Other groups include 4% multiracial. Compared to Oneida County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

On the income-and-resources front, Pelican Elementary shows 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 10.1:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 14.7:1 average. About 49% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Pelican Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 47.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 49.3%.

In the surrounding community, Oneida County reports that median household earnings sit near $69,371, about 29% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 5%. In all, Oneida County runs 15 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,949 students), of which Pelican Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is James Williams Middle, roughly 2.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Pelican Elementary at 7th of 9; the average score across the group is 56.8%.

The school occupies an outlying site.

Over the past 7-year window. Pelican Elementary's enrollment has ticked down 14% since 2018, when it stood at 306 (now 263). The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 12.1:1 in 2018 to 10.1:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.