Prairie River Middle

Prairie River Middle operates as a moderately sized middle-grades school in Merrill, Wisconsin, part of Merrill Area School District. Current enrollment sits at 507 students spanning grades 5 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 381 students per school, that is 33% above typical.

Across the 7 schools in Merrill Area School District (2,686 students total), Prairie River Middle accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Prairie River Middle shows that nearly all students (88%) are White. Other groups include 6% multiracial, 4% Hispanic.

Looking at school resources, The school lists 38 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 13.4:1. The state averages about 12.8:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Roughly 47% of students at Prairie River Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

After controlling for student poverty, Prairie River Middle sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 48.6%; this one delivers 40.8%.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Lincoln County indicate median household income runs about $68,164, roughly 20% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Lincoln County's 12 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,880 students), Prairie River Middle is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Kate Goodrich Elementary, roughly 0.6 miles away. Within five miles, there are 6 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Prairie River Middle comes 4th of 4 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 53.0%.

The school occupies a town-based site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count contracted 9%: 560 students in 2018 compared to 507 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 93% to 88% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 13.4:1 today.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.