Original Research by School Decision on Highland Primary School
Highland Primary School is a pre-K through 2nd grade school in a small city near St. Louis that serves a modest enrollment of students drawn almost entirely from the surrounding Highland community. The school is embedded in Highland, a historic small town with roots in Swiss and German settlement, a downtown anchored around the Square and Plaza Park with locally owned shops and restaurants, and surrounding neighborhoods ranging from modest tree-lined streets to newer suburban subdivisions. The city's major employers include manufacturing and construction services; St. Joseph's Hospital; and Trouw Nutrition, which operates facilities here. Housing in the area is more affordable than the state or national benchmark, with home values in line with Midwest small-town costs and rents substantially lower than mortgage payments would suggest, making the town accessible to families at various income levels.
The student body is predominantly white, with the enrollment drawing from a homogeneous local population. Demographic data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and special populations such as students with disabilities or English learners was not reported, so a reader looking for information on family economic diversity or the school's support services for these groups should contact the school directly. The enrollment is stable across grade levels, with a solid cohort moving through pre-K and kindergarten into the primary grades.
Highland Primary is part of the broader Highland CUSD 5 district, which is undergoing a significant infrastructure shift. A new Highland Primary School building is under construction on a 43-acre site about half a mile from the current location. This modern, purpose-built facility will consolidate all pre-K through 2nd grade students in one place and eliminate the current logistical challenge of having young students walk between buildings for classes like art, music, and PE. When the new building opens, the daily experience for families with young children will change substantially: a unified, modern campus will replace the current split arrangement. The district also funded an addition to Highland Middle School and other capital work through a 2022 bond.
Property taxes for school operations have risen meaningfully. For the 2024 levy year the district adopted a tax increase over the prior year, a change reflected in school portions of resident property tax bills and something prospective residents or current homeowners should factor into their housing costs.
At the high school level, beginning in the 2026-27 school year, Highland High School will move from the Mississippi Valley Conference to the South 7 Conference, altering athletic competition, travel, and rivalries for student-athletes and families with children in upper grades. This shift affects which schools students compete against and regional identity in sports.
No state assessment data was available for Highland Primary, which reflects the grade band served. Pre-K through 2nd grade students are not included in state testing, so proficiency results and trends cannot be reported here. A parent or resident interested in academic outcomes, classroom teaching methods, curriculum choices, or the school's approach to early literacy and numeracy should ask the school directly about these areas and what assessments it uses internally to track progress.
The town itself is growing steadily but not booming. Population has risen modestly in recent years, and developers are active in residential projects. Downtown has seen recent investment in luxury apartments and the conversion of a historic pipe organ factory into an event center, and subdivisions like Autumn Crest are attracting families. Civic anchors include the Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library downtown, parks like Silver Lake Park with trails and disc golf, and recreational facilities. The city's location near I-70 and U.S. 40 makes it accessible to the greater St. Louis region while retaining a small-town character.
Highland Primary fits families who are drawn to early-childhood education in a stable, homogeneous, small-town setting with modest housing costs and access to a new school facility designed specifically for young learners. The school's position within a district navigating significant capital investment and property tax adjustment is a practical context for families to understand alongside the educational program itself.
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