Petersham Center

126 Students

Elementary School K - 6th

School Overview

Petersham Center School, located at 31 Spring Street in Petersham, Massachusetts, is a small, rural public school serving students in preschool through sixth grade. As the primary elementary institution for the town, it prides itself on a close-knit, community-oriented atmosphere where faculty and staff focus on individualized attention and the academic, social, and emotional development of every student. The school is known for its traditional New England character and its commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, and science.

Beyond its core academic offerings, Petersham Center School prioritizes active student engagement and the integration of the local environment into the curriculum. With its relatively small student body, the school maintains strong partnerships with families and the surrounding community, ensuring a collaborative approach to education. The school's setting in a quiet, historic town contributes to a unique educational experience that balances modern pedagogical standards with a strong sense of local identity and personal growth.

126

Total Students

9.5

Full-Time Teachers

13.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Petersham Center
Demographic	Student Count
White	108
Hispanic	14
Two or More	4

White
108 (85.7 %)
Hispanic
14 (11.1 %)
Two or More
4 (3.2 %)

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:	Petersham
Phone:	(978)724-3363
Grade Range:	K - 6th
Total Students:	126
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	9.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* 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

Kindergarten 17

Grade 1 17

Grade 2 18

Grade 3 20

Grade 4 26

Grade 5 12

Grade 6 16