The top reported proficiency rate is 83% in Science. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Wallenpaupack South El Sch
Wallenpaupack South Elementary is a rural elementary school in Newfoundland, a small village in the Pocono Mountains of Wayne County, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The school sits on Main Street in the village center, serving a catchment of about that size for its grade band.
The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a small number of Black and multiracial students. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the families the school serves.
On the most recent state assessment data available, the school's performance is mixed. In math, a moderate share of students scored at proficient or above. In English language arts, just under half of students achieved proficiency. Science results, from an earlier year, were notably stronger. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in Wayne County on the comparison basis available, though this reflects the relatively small universe being compared.
The school sits in a low-density residential area dependent on driving for daily life. Newfoundland itself is a small village with civic anchors like Carlton Drake Memorial Park, the volunteer fire association, and the annual Greene-Dreher-Sterling Fair held over Labor Day weekend. The area offers access to Lake Wallenpaupack and Promised Land State Park nearby. Housing values in the zip code are below national and state benchmarks and remain accessible, with modest year-over-year appreciation. This is a place where families buy or rent for rural peace and outdoor access rather than urban amenities or school prestige.
A parent should know that the school's ELA and math proficiency results sit below what many districts achieve. The school does not yet publish data on English learner enrollment or students with IEPs, so a family with a child who has either need may want to contact the school directly about the services and supports available.
The broader district context matters here. Wallenpaupack Area School District is actively creating the first Wayne/Pike Career and Technical Center on its Hawley campus in partnership with neighboring districts, a meaningful expansion of vocational and technical pathways for high school students that removes the need for long travel to access those programs. The district's tax rate for 2024-2025 remained the lowest among public districts serving Wayne County, a factor families weighing a move often track. For parents of elementary students, the middle and high schools sit roughly a substantial distance away in Hawley, so this is a departure point from the village elementary experience.
This school fits families drawn to small-town and rural life, outdoor recreation, and modest housing costs. For families focused primarily on elementary test results and proficiency benchmarks, the mixed performance data invites closer conversation with the school about curriculum, support, and what drives the gaps between subjects.
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