Thorntons Ferry School

Q: Is Thorntons Ferry School a good school?

Thorntons Ferry School ranks 140 th of 237 New Hampshire elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public PK, KG-4

134 Camp Sargent Rd.
Merrimack, NH 03054-4700

(603) 889-1577

District: Merrimack School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
140^th of 237 New Hampshire Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,791

Students who attend Thorntons Ferry School usually attend:

Middle:	James Mastricola Upper Elementary School
	Merrimack Middle School
High:	Merrimack High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 541

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.9%

Two or more races:

6.5%

Hispanic:

3.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 7.8%

See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

Compare Thorntons Ferry School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Thorntons Ferry School ranks worse than 59.1% of elementary schools in New Hampshire. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Merrimack School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.35. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Thorntons Ferry School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Merrimack School District. Racial makeup is: White (86.9%), two or more races (6.5%), Hispanic (3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 7.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Merrimack School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thorntons Ferry School is 13.1. 1 elementary schools in the Merrimack School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Thorntons Ferry School employs 41 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thorntons Ferry School is $17,791, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Merrimack School District!

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Thorntons Ferry School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thorntons Ferry School 140^th of 237 New Hampshire public elementary schools. (See Thorntons Ferry School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Merrimack School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrimack School District 76^th of 161 New Hampshire school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Thorntons Ferry School.

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Rank History for Thorntons Ferry School

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Rank History for all students at Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2006	78.43	45^th	238	81.1%
2007	64.56	90^th	237	62.0%
2008	60.27	96^th	236	59.3%
2009	58.52	106^th	240	55.8%
2010	69.19	68^th	242	71.9%
2011	81.47	26^th	237	89.0%
2012	83.64	22^nd	241	90.9%
2013	64.88	82^nd	241	66.0%
2014	54.49	112^th	242	53.7%
2015	61.04	76^th	206	63.1%
2016	66.42	72^nd	244	70.5%
2017	63.80	80^th	229	65.1%
2018	59.64	90^th	231	61.0%
2019	67.43	64^th	231	72.3%
2021	54.24	101^st	211	52.1%
2022	42.58	135^th	233	42.1%
2023	44.35	140^th	237	40.9%

See the entire list of New Hampshire Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	44.20	32^nd	60	46.7%
2022	42.08	35^th	59	40.7%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2018	71.00	38^th	190	80.0%
2019	63.77	60^th	192	68.8%
2021	51.98	80^th	160	50.0%
2022	45.15	109^th	187	41.7%
2023	50.42	95^th	193	50.8%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2018	47.09	108^th	195	44.6%
2019	67.21	55^th	195	71.8%
2021	54.74	67^th	168	60.1%
2022	40.89	120^th	194	38.1%
2023	37.04	136^th	199	31.7%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NH State Percentile
2018	61.10	81^st	227	64.3%
2019	72.27	46^th	229	79.9%
2021	56.51	88^th	209	57.9%
2022	43.45	138^th	229	39.7%
2023	46.77	127^th	233	45.5%

See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Hampshire Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: New Hampshire Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.7)

67%

33%

by a parent
Wednesday, February 4, 2015

My son attends Thorntons Ferry School. The teachers and all staff members I have had contact with have been wonderful. It is a caring and supportive environment. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, June 15, 2012

My children are completing 2nd and 3rd grades at Thortons Ferry next week. We relocated to Merrimack 4 years ago from an outstanding school district in Pennsylvania. I was unsure of what to expect from NH public schools. My experience s the last 4 years has exceeded my expectations. The staff has been very professional and wonderful over the years. The school nurse has done an amazing job caring for my children who have severe food allergies. The school does a beautiful job of dealing with peanut allergies. I was very anxious sending my kids to school, but the staff at Thortons Ferry has kept them safe and helped them transition from home to school well. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, January 22, 2010

The staff in the front office are very rude!
The school nurse drags parents out of work if their child has a headache (no fever).
They are continually suggesting ADD/ADHD problems with children, even after pediatrician has said NO WAY!
Once this school year is complete, I am pulling my child out of Thortons Ferry and putting them in private school!
This school is a joke! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Thorntons Ferry School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	683	683
1991	629	1	10	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	647
1992	627	3	6	2	4	n/a	n/a	0	642
1993	641	6	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	658
1994	639	9	9	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	664
1995	677	11	10	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	706
1996	677	11	10	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	706
1997	714	13	10	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	741
1998	753	9	12	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	778
1999	787	7	13	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	814
2000	782	7	21	8	6	n/a	n/a	0	824
2001	758	8	23	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	799
2002	687	6	25	10	5	n/a	n/a	0	733
2003	687	6	25	10	5	n/a	n/a	0	733
2004	658	9	22	12	6	n/a	n/a	0	707
2005	485	5	15	9	4	n/a	n/a	0	518
2006	542	9	15	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	577
2007	540	13	16	13	4	n/a	n/a	0	586
2008	503	13	18	12	4	n/a	n/a	0	550
2009	478	15	24	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	538
2010	489	13	23	13	2	0	0	0	540
2011	471	12	24	13	4	0	0	0	524
2012	452	14	19	18	4	1	0	0	508
2013	411	7	20	17	4	1	0	0	460
2014	404	10	22	24	3	0	0	0	463
2015	381	14	18	23	1	1	0	0	438
2016	396	11	18	18	1	2	1	0	447
2017	431	10	18	18	0	2	6	0	485
2018	464	11	10	14	1	3	13	0	516
2019	477	9	11	9	1	3	18	0	528
2020	509	7	16	6	1	2	27	0	568
2021	454	1	12	4	2	1	32	0	506
2022	462	3	14	16	3	1	32	0	531
2023	470	4	13	16	3	0	35	0	541

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Thorntons Ferry School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	683	41.0	16.6	1.2
1991	647	31.0	20.8	1.9
1992	642	38.0	16.8	2.6
1993	658	37.0	17.8	4.3
1994	664	31.3	21.2	4.8
1995	706	38.3	18.4	4.4
1996	706	38.3	18.4	4.4
1997	741	34.6	21.4	4
1998	778	35.6	21.9	3
1999	814	45.6	17.9	1.6
2000	824	48.0	17.2	5.1
2001	799	49.2	16.2	4.4
2002	733	46.8	15.7	5.3
2003	733	46.8	15.7	5.3
2004	707	47.8	14.8	5.8
2005	518	39.0	13.3	7.3
2006	577	40.0	14.4	5.4
2007	586	39.0	15.0	6.7
2008	550	37.0	14.9	6.2
2009	538	38.0	14.2	6.3
2010	540	37.0	14.5	7.2
2011	524	35.0	14.9	8.6
2012	508	35.5	14.3	8.3
2013	460	33.5	13.7	9.1
2014	463	33.5	13.8	9.3
2015	438	32.0	13.6	11.4
2016	447	34.0	13.1	8.7
2017	485	34.5	14.0	7
2018	516	35.5	14.5	8.5
2019	528	38.0	13.8	9.5
2020	568	38.0	14.9	9.5
2021	506	39.5	12.8	9.3
2022	531	41.0	12.9	7.5
2023	541	41.0	13.1	7.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Thorntons Ferry School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	683	41.0	16.6	1.2
1991	647	31.0	20.8	1.9
1992	642	38.0	16.8	2.6
1993	658	37.0	17.8	4.3
1994	664	31.3	21.2	4.8
1995	706	38.3	18.4	4.4
1996	706	38.3	18.4	4.4
1997	741	34.6	21.4	4
1998	778	35.6	21.9	3
1999	814	45.6	17.9	1.6
2000	824	48.0	17.2	5.1
2001	799	49.2	16.2	4.4
2002	733	46.8	15.7	5.3
2003	733	46.8	15.7	5.3
2004	707	47.8	14.8	5.8
2005	518	39.0	13.3	7.3
2006	577	40.0	14.4	5.4
2007	586	39.0	15.0	6.7
2008	550	37.0	14.9	6.2
2009	538	38.0	14.2	6.3
2010	540	37.0	14.5	7.2
2011	524	35.0	14.9	8.6
2012	508	35.5	14.3	8.3
2013	460	33.5	13.7	9.1
2014	463	33.5	13.8	9.3
2015	438	32.0	13.6	11.4
2016	447	34.0	13.1	8.7
2017	485	34.5	14.0	7
2018	516	35.5	14.5	8.5
2019	528	38.0	13.8	9.5
2020	568	38.0	14.9	9.5
2021	506	39.5	12.8	9.3
2022	531	41.0	12.9	7.5
2023	541	41.0	13.1	7.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Thorntons Ferry School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$17,791

Data source: New Hampshire Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Thorntons Ferry School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 64^th of 231 Elementary schools	Ranks 140^th of 237 Elementary schools	31.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Thorntons Ferry School)	71	44	27%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Merrimack School District)	75	56	19%
3rd Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	57	52	5%
3rd Grade Reading (Thorntons Ferry School)	66	48	18%
3rd Grade Reading (Merrimack School District)	64	48	16%
3rd Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	52	46	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Thorntons Ferry School)	63	41	22%
4th Grade Mathematics (Merrimack School District)	63	45	18%
4th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)	52	51	1%
4th Grade Reading (Thorntons Ferry School)	53	52	1%
4th Grade Reading (Merrimack School District)	53	54	1%
4th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)	55	50	5%
All Grades Mathematics (Thorntons Ferry School)	67	43	24%
All Grades Mathematics (Merrimack School District)	54	42	12%
All Grades Mathematics (New Hampshire)	48	42	6%
All Grades Reading (Thorntons Ferry School)	59	50	9%
All Grades Reading (Merrimack School District)	57	54	3%
All Grades Reading (New Hampshire)	56	52	4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	528	541	2.5%
African American	9	4	55.6%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	11	13	18.2%
Hispanic	9	16	77.8%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	477	470	1.5%
Two or More Races	18	35	94.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	9.5%	7.8%	1.7%

Schools Near Thorntons Ferry School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				NH SAS Mathematics (2023)					NH SAS Reading (2023)						NH SAS Science (2023)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NH SAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 4th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 5th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics 7th Grade	NH SAS Mathematics All Grades	NH SAS Reading 3rd Grade	NH SAS Reading 4th Grade	NH SAS Reading 5th Grade	NH SAS Reading 6th Grade	NH SAS Reading 7th Grade	NH SAS Reading All Grades	NH SAS Science 5th Grade	NH SAS Science All Grades	Total
Thorntons Ferry School	Public	PK, KG-4	134 Camp Sargent Rd.	Merrimack	03054	Hillsborough County	Merrimack School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 889-1577	541	41	13.1	7.8%	470 (86.9%)	4 (0.7%)	16 (3.0%)	13 (2.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.5%)	44.3	140^th of 237 public elementary schools	40.9%		42.6	135^th of 233 public elementary schools	42.1%	5	44.0	41.0			43.0	48.0	52.0				50.0			$17,791
Gate City Charter School for the Arts	Public, Charter	K-8	7 Henry Clay Dr	Merrimack	03054	Hillsborough County	Gate City Charter School For the Arts	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 943-5273	151	11	13.7	29.1%	120 (79.5%)	4 (2.6%)	9 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (11.9%)	25.2	188^th of 237 public elementary schools	20.7%		33.8	158^th of 233 public elementary schools	32.2%	30	53.0		11.0	27.0	23.0	18.0		20.0	62.0	60.0	42.0	25.0	31.0
Griffin Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-4	229 Chs Bancroft Hwy.	Litchfield	03052	Hillsborough County	Litchfield School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 424-0078	437	33	13.2	10.3%	385 (88.1%)	3 (0.7%)	21 (4.8%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.3%)	59.8	85^th of 237 public elementary schools	64.1%		49.1	121^st of 233 public elementary schools	48.1%	36	62.0	44.0			52.0	58.0	52.0				55.0			$17,512
Birch Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	17 Birch Hill Dr.	Nashua	03063	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-1820	332	55	6.0	29.8%	196 (59.0%)	10 (3.0%)	77 (23.2%)	23 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.8%)	53.8	107^th of 237 public elementary schools	54.9%		38.8	145^th of 233 public elementary schools	37.8%	38	65.0	68.0	24.0		54.0	54.0	64.0	51.0			56.0	15.0	15.0	$15,368
Charlotte Ave Elementary School	Public	K-5	48 Charlotte Ave.	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-1940	333	33	10.0	21.9%	232 (69.7%)	4 (1.2%)	60 (18.0%)	18 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.7%)	55	99^th of 237 public elementary schools	58.2%		58.6	92^nd of 233 public elementary schools	60.5%	7	71.0	72.0	37.0		63.0	45.0	60.0	47.0			52.0	20.0	20.0	$14,479
James Mastricola Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	7 School St.	Merrimack	03054	Hillsborough County	Merrimack School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 424-6218	420	32	13.1	9.5%	375 (89.3%)	4 (1.0%)	15 (3.6%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)	54.4	102^nd of 237 public elementary schools	57.0%		54.9	108^th of 233 public elementary schools	53.6%	6	60.0	49.0			55.0	48.0	49.0				49.0			$17,556
Amherst Street School	Public	K-5	71 Amherst St.	Nashua	03064	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-1700	293	26	11.1	61.1%	127 (43.3%)	7 (2.4%)	128 (43.7%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.9%)	10.2	225^th of 237 public elementary schools	5.1%		6.9	225^th of 233 public elementary schools	3.4%		23.0	21.0	16.0		20.0	29.0	26.0	37.0			30.0	11.0	11.0	$21,318
Broad Street Elementary School	Public	K-5	390 Broad St.	Nashua	03063	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-1880	249	22	11.3	25.3%	158 (63.5%)	9 (3.6%)	43 (17.3%)	12 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (10.8%)	54	104^th of 237 public elementary schools	56.1%		57.1	97^th of 233 public elementary schools	58.4%	7	63.0	47.0	46.0		51.0	50.0	53.0	49.0			50.0	33.0	33.0	$21,295
Mt. Pleasant School	Public	PK, KG-5	10 Manchester St.	Nashua	03060	Hillsborough County	Nashua School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 966-2400	286	30	9.4	67.5%	134 (46.9%)	4 (1.4%)	124 (43.4%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.0%)	16.2	213^th of 237 public elementary schools	10.1%		6.8	226^th of 233 public elementary schools	3.0%	13	42.0	18.0	11.0		22.0	50.0	22.0	16.0			27.0	11.0	11.0	$16,311
Hills Garrison Elementary School	Public	2-5	190 Derry Rd.	Hudson	03051	Hillsborough County	Hudson School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(603) 881-3930	383	21	18.2	19.3%	297 (77.5%)	4 (1.0%)	30 (7.8%)	12 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (10.4%)	53.1	110^th of 237 public elementary schools	53.6%		64.4	75^th of 233 public elementary schools	67.8%	35	50.0	67.0	39.0		51.0	37.0	55.0	58.0			51.0	34.0	34.0	$15,984

Frequently Asked Questions about Thorntons Ferry School

How many students attend Thorntons Ferry School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 541 students attended Thorntons Ferry School.

What is the racial makeup of Thorntons Ferry School?

Students at Thorntons Ferry School are 87% White, 6% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Thorntons Ferry School attend?

Students who attend Thorntons Ferry School usually go on to attend:

Middle : James Mastricola Upper Elementary School
Middle : Merrimack Middle School
High : Merrimack High School

Is Thorntons Ferry School a good school?

Thorntons Ferry School ranks 140^th of 237 New Hampshire elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Thorntons Ferry School in?

Merrimack School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Hampshire Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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