The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Science. The lowest is 60% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lewis M Myers El Sch
Lewis M Myers Elementary School is a public school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in Bellwood, a small, walkable borough in rural Blair County. The school sits on Martin Street in a downtown-and-schools arrangement typical of older Pennsylvania towns, just a couple of blocks from Main Street's civic core and the borough library.
The school currently serves about four hundred students, drawn almost entirely from the local area. Just under half of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a working-class population, and the student body is overwhelmingly white, with very small numbers of students of color. Data on special education enrollment and English learners was not available.
In state testing, Lewis M Myers shows strength in science, where students achieved proficiency at a rate well above the median among Blair County districts. Performance in reading and language arts comes in solidly, also above the county median. Mathematics proficiency is somewhat lower, closer to the midpoint for the county. Overall, the school's composite proficiency across tested subjects ranks in the top quartile relative to other schools in Blair County. Students tested represent the third through fourth grade cohort; kindergarten through second grade are not assessed under Pennsylvania's state testing program.
Bellwood itself is a tight-knit, built-out community of about three thousand residents where nearly all land is already developed. The housing market is active, with properties moving quickly and median home values modest relative to state and national benchmarks. The AMTRAN transit route to Altoona, a short drive away, connects the borough to regional employment and services. Walkability is straightforward given the compact footprint; the First Frontier Valley Trail, newly completed in its first phase, adds a pedestrian and biking spine along Main Street and through the community park.
The Bellwood-Antis School District, which includes this elementary school, has entered a period of property tax increase after holding rates flat for many years. The board approved tax hikes for both 2024-25 and 2025-26, with a 2026-27 increase projected as well. These shifts matter to families considering moving into the district or already here. The district recently closed its long-standing FFA agricultural program due to low enrollment and redirected those resources toward a new district librarian position. On the positive side, the district added a state-funded Pre-K Counts preschool program offering free instruction to younger siblings. A fire in the high school gymnasium in late 2024 is undergoing insurance-covered repair, including major boiler, roof, and electrical system replacement that will touch the broader facilities families use.
Lewis M Myers serves as the kindergarten through fourth grade entry point for a district with a clear neighborhood identity, stable housing, and an academic profile that aligns with county averages or better. The school's student composition is homogeneous, which some families may seek and others may find limiting; a parent may want to look into the school's approach to diversity and inclusion further with staff. The school's grade band means no high school pathway data is available; that transition lies ahead at the middle and high school levels.
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