The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Science. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Squire John Thomas Elementary
Squire John Thomas Elementary serves grades preschool through five in Gretna, a rapidly growing suburban bedroom community for Omaha located along the I-80 corridor between Omaha and Lincoln. The school is part of Gretna Public Schools, a district that has undergone significant expansion through multiple voter-approved bonds in recent years, including the construction of new elementary schools and a second high school. For a family considering this school, the context of district growth matters as much as the day-to-day experience inside the building.
The student body is predominantly white, with modest representation of Hispanic and Asian students and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Native American students. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a relatively low share and signals a generally affluent attendance zone. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent whose child receives special education services or is an English language learner may want to ask the school directly about these populations and the supports available.
State test results tell an uneven story with notable bright spots and one clear area for scrutiny. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades three, four, and five cluster around the mid-sixties, which is a solid showing. Science proficiency in grade five reaches roughly seven in ten students, a strong result. Math, however, presents a mixed picture. Third and fifth graders post proficiency in the low to mid-sixties, but fourth grade math comes in at zero percent proficient. That figure is so far from the other grades’ results that a parent should ask the school for explanation whether a data error, a testing anomaly, or a genuine instructional concern accounts for it. Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places in the bottom quarter relative to other elementary-serving districts in Sarpy County. That is a soft spot in the data for a family weighing academic performance against other factors.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, with no Title I designation recorded. Its grade span is preschool through fifth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report. Program offerings at the school level were not provided in the available data, so parents should check with the school for information on enrichment, interventions, or specialized curricula.
Housing in the immediate area commands a premium. Home values are substantially above the statewide median, and rents are elevated too, reflecting the desirability of Gretna as a place to live. A typical mortgage payment in the area would be notably higher than the typical rent, suggesting buying carries a steeper cost than renting right now. The unemployment rate nationally sits in the low single digits, so the economic backdrop is stable, but Gretna’s rapid population growth has come with a significant property tax burden for school bonds, which is a public matter that directly affects homeowners.
The district itself has been in near-constant building mode. Bond measures passed in 2022 and 2024 funded a second high school that opened in 2023 and a new elementary school slated for fall 2026, plus security upgrades and land purchases. This expansion is driven by an enrollment trajectory that has substantially increased. For a family with young children, the district is actively investing in capacity and facilities, though the growth also means schools are filling up and boundaries may shift over time.
Gretna’s locale reinforces this picture. The city’s own materials describe it as a rapidly growing community with booming housing developments, set between two major cities. There is a small historic downtown, but the built environment is car-dependent suburban. Civic anchors include a public library, a municipal pool, parks, and a senior center. The mayor’s message highlights the school district as a primary draw for new residents.
Squire John Thomas Elementary operates in this high-growth, high-demand environment. Its academic profile is mixed, with generally adequate to strong results in English and science but a puzzling math score in one grade that needs clarification. The school serves a relatively advantaged student population in a district that is expanding quickly, which shapes the peer environment and the resources available. A family considering this school should weigh the solid overall district reputation against the specific test results, the zero in fourth grade math, and the fast-changing nature of Gretna itself.
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