WHALE GULCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Whale Gulch Elementary is a public elementary school that is part of the Leggett Valley Unified school district, located in Whitethorn, CA with about 36 students offering grade levels from Kindergarten to 8th Grade. With about 2 teachers, Whale Gulch Elementary has a student/teacher ratio of about 18:1. The national average for public schools is about 15:1. A lower student/teacher ratio is a key factor that determines how much a teacher can devote his/her time to each individual student thus improving, or reducing (in the event of a higher student/teacher ratio) the attention each student is given for their educational needs.
Whale Gulch Elementary, located in the remote coastal community of Whitethorn, California, is a distinctively small, rural public school situated within the Southern Humboldt Unified School District. Nestled in a rugged and isolated region near the King Range National Conservation Area, the school serves a tight-knit community of students who live in a heavily forested, mountainous landscape. Because of its extreme geographic isolation, the school plays a vital role as a central hub for local families, often operating with multi-grade classrooms that foster a close-knit, personalized learning environment rarely found in larger urban districts.
The school is defined by its connection to the surrounding wilderness and its unique logistical challenges, including its location on Usal Road—a notoriously winding, remote route. Due to its size and location, Whale Gulch Elementary emphasizes community-based education and resiliency, relying on a small staff to provide individualized instruction. It stands as an example of rural Californian education, where the school’s identity is deeply intertwined with the natural environment and the specific needs of the families living in the remote "Lost Coast" area.
For more information, contact Whale Gulch Elementary at (707) 986-7131 or visit the school personally to speak with a faculty or administrative member about any specific questions you may have.
Whitethorn, CA 95589-8502
(707) 986-7131
WHALE GULCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a public school in Whitethorn, CA with about 36 enrolled students. See other public elementary schools in California
School Details
- Level:
- Elementary School
- Charter School:*
- No
- District:
- Leggett Valley Unified
- Total Students:
- 36
- Teachers:
- 2.58
- NSLP Status:1
- No
- Qualified free lunch:
- 0
- Qualified reduced-price lunch:
- 0
- Title I Status:2
- Not a Title I school
- Virtual:
- Not Virtual
* A public charter school is a publicly funded school that is typically governed by a group or organization under a legislative contract with the state, the district, or another entity. The charter exempts the school from certain state or local rules and regulations.
1 The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides eligible students with free or reduced-price lunch
2 Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families.
School Demographics for 36 students
- White
- 69.4%
- Hispanic/Latino
- 25.0%
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- 2.8%
- Two or more races
- 2.8%
- Female
- 38.9%
- Male
- 61.1%
Data for school year 2017-2018 — The information found on this website was provided in part by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics & various other external sources. We do not verify the contents of the information provided and therefore, cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information displayed on this website.