Valley Southwoods

southwoods.wdmcs.org/

678 Students

Secondary School 9th - 9th

School Overview

Valley Southwoods (VSW) is a unique educational facility in West Des Moines, Iowa, serving exclusively as a dedicated building for the district’s ninth-grade students. As part of the West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) district, the school acts as a transitional bridge between middle school and the main Valley High School campus. Its focused environment is designed to provide incoming freshmen with a supportive, specialized setting that helps them adjust to the academic rigors and social expectations of high school before they integrate into the larger student body at Valley High.

The school emphasizes a comprehensive academic curriculum while fostering a strong sense of community tailored specifically to the needs of 14- and 15-year-old learners. By concentrating on a single grade level, Valley Southwoods allows faculty to focus on the developmental milestones of freshmen, offering specialized support systems and collaborative programs. The school is known for its commitment to building student character and academic responsibility, ensuring that every student is well-prepared for the transition to the full high school experience.

678

Total Students

48.7

Full-Time Teachers

13.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

49.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Valley Southwoods
Demographic	Student Count
White	391
Hispanic	119
Black	79
Asian	43
Two or More	43
American Indian	3

White
391 (57.7%)
Hispanic
119 (17.6%)
Black
79 (11.7%)
Asian
43 (6.3%)
Two or More
43 (6.3%)
American Indian
3 (0.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Secondary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	West Des Moines Comm School District
Phone:	(515)633-4500
Website:	http://southwoods.wdmcs.org/
Grade Range:	9th - 9th
Total Students:	678
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	48.7
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	252
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	80

* 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

Grade 9 678