Jonas E Salk Elementary School

587 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 4th

School Overview

Jonas E. Salk Elementary School is a public school located in Merrillville, Indiana, serving students within the Merrillville Community School Corporation. The school is named in honor of Jonas Salk, the medical researcher and virologist who developed the first successful polio vaccine, reflecting a community focus on academic achievement and civic contribution. It provides a foundational educational environment for students in the elementary grade levels, focusing on core curriculum standards while fostering a supportive classroom atmosphere.

The school is situated in a suburban setting and serves as a vital hub for the local neighborhood. Like many institutions in the Merrillville district, Jonas E. Salk Elementary emphasizes the development of fundamental literacy and numeracy skills, supplemented by social-emotional learning to help students succeed in their early formative years. Through various school programs and staff dedication, the institution aims to prepare its diverse student body for the transition to middle school while maintaining an active partnership with local families and the broader Merrillville community.

587

Total Students

36.8

Full-Time Teachers

15.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

50.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Jonas E Salk Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	84
Hispanic	131
Black	335
Asian	6
Two or More	28
American Indian	2
Pacific Islander	1

Black
335 (57.1 %)
Hispanic
131 (22.3 %)
White
84 (14.3 %)
Two or More
28 (4.8 %)
Asian
6 (1.0 %)
American Indian
2 (0.3 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Merrillville Community School Corp
Phone:	(219)650-5304
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 4th
Total Students:	587
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	36.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	256
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	40

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 6

Kindergarten 111

Grade 1 111

Grade 2 120

Grade 3 134

Grade 4 105