2020 Best Middle Schools in the Des Moines AreaAbout this List

Waukee South Middle School

• Waukee Community School District, IA
• 6-7
• 1 review

Senior: Overall I had an amazing 3 years at this school. The environment, teachers, faculty, and students made it memorable. Being able to learn hands on, and understand what I’m learning to take it to the next years was crucial. Opportunities were endless here, there was always a way to excel as long as you wanted to do it, you could. No one ever discouraged me, only ever helped push me to become better and gave me the want to learn and do more not only for myself but for those around me and in my community
Read 1 Review

• A

• 734 Students
• 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Summit Middle School

• Johnston Community School District, IA
• 6-7
• 2 reviews

Parent: Summit is a great school and really pushes the kids to learn with great support with the exception of one teacher, Michelle Jordan (science) she is a bully to the kids and likes to pretend to be the school cop. My home is a place where lotd of the neighborhood kids come to visit and play with my son. They ALL have had issues with her and complain that she has a bad attitude. All the other teachers are great! Summit is really a wonderful school that nurtures children!
Read 2 Reviews

• A

• 1,106 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Prairieview School

• Waukee Community School District, IA
• 8-9
• 4 reviews

High School Senior: Teachers work very hard to make students great
Read 4 Reviews

• A

• 675 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Waukee Middle School

• Waukee Community School District, IA
• 6-7

• A

• 720 Students
• 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Southview Middle School

• Ankeny Community School District, IA
• 8-9
• 3 reviews

Freshman: I came to Southview Middle School from a homeschool perspective. I loved the variety of extracurricular activities it had to offer because as a homeschooler, I never had the opportunity to enroll in sports or elective classes and I emersed myself in the social aspect. The teachers at Southview were wonderful, encouraging, and strived to help students advance all ways possible. I was able to get a head start on my college by taking online classes through the school. Throughout my two years at Southview, I might make an adjustment to the 'turning in late policy'. At Southview, when an assignment doesn't get turned in, the student gets an extended amount of time to make up the missing work. I think that this could be detrimental to students because in college a deadline is a hard deadline with no exceptions. Overall, I had a great experience at Southview.
Read 3 Reviews

• A

• 818 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Timberline School

• Waukee Community School District, IA
• 8-9
• 1 review

Freshman: Timberline is a great school. The teachers are what make it so amazing. The staff is made up of some of the best people I have ever met. I wish there was less stress out on grades and perfection and more put on understanding material and preparing for life after high school. The admin are also very great, they work very hard to make a student’s time at Timberline the best it can be, and they care about each and every student, despite there being a lot of them.
Read 1 Review

• A

• 704 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Dallas Center - Grimes Middle School

• Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, IA
• 6-7
• 6 reviews

High School Student: The reason I'm saying this is,in my opinion no school in the area is better than this school.
Read 6 Reviews

• A

• 410 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Johnston Middle School

• Johnston Community School District, IA
• 8-9
• 4 reviews

• A

• 1,073 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Prairie Ridge Middle School

• Ankeny Community School District, IA
• 6-7
• 3 reviews

• A

• 873 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Northview Middle School

• Ankeny Community School District, IA
• 8-9
• 15 reviews

Middle School Student: While the school itself is not very diverse, the student body is pleasant and the academics are acceptable. I'd like to see more opportunities for talented and gifted students, especially in eighth grade.
Read 15 Reviews

• A

• 814 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Parkview Middle School

• Ankeny Community School District, IA
• 6-7
• 1 review

Middle School Student: The building is old, but the teachers are great. The food is okay, but I felt safe and comfortable. It was a safe place, and I felt comfortable.
Read 1 Review

• A

• 874 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Stilwell Junior High School

• West Des Moines Community School District, IA
• 7-8
• 3 reviews

Middle School Student: Seventh and Eighth-grade school kinda small for so many students.Great teacher but the food is not that good sometimes the chicken is undercooked and pink. Many clubs here like best buddies, chess, and more. The sports here are ok but practices are at bad times like in the cold and when it's raining.
Read 3 Reviews

• A-

• 696 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

North Polk Middle School

• North Polk Community School District, IA
• 6-8

• A-

• 372 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Des Moines Christian School

• Private School
• Urbandale, IA
• PK, K-12
• 69 reviews

Senior: It is a great Christian school. It's small enough (around 65-75 students per class) that you know everyone there and it's a big family. But it's big enough that I can have many dual-credit courses and have nice classrooms. Anyone can play sports here unlike public schools. Our school has just built a new facility that encloses a gym/theater, STEAM labs, fine-arts rooms, and the entire pre-k branch of DMC. The state of the art weight room and football field are really nice! I have many good friendships here. What I like the most about Des Moines Christian School is that the teachers actually care for the students. They are not here for the money since most of them can earn more money at public schools or colleges (we have a couple professors). I have great relationships with all my teachers (except Mr. Luscombe). DMC holds a special place in my heart forever. I would not be the same person without it.
Read 69 Reviews

• A-

• 931 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Woodward-Granger Middle School

• Woodward-Granger Community School District, IA
• 6-8

• A-

• 183 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bondurant-Farrar Middle School

• Bondurant-Farrar Community School District, IA
• 6-8
• 4 reviews

High School Senior: I wouldn't want to go back to middle school, but this school is pretty good and made my middle school years pretty awesome.
Read 4 Reviews

• A-

• 452 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Adel DeSoto Minburn (ADM) Middle School

• Adel DeSoto Minburn Community School District, IA
• 6-8

• A-

• 376 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Meadows

• Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, IA
• 8-9

• A-

• 421 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Norwalk Middle School

• Norwalk Community School District, IA
• 6-8

• A-

• 653 Students
• 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Indianola Middle School

• Indianola Community School District, IA
• 6-8

• A-

• 834 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Grand View Christian School

• Private School
• Des Moines, IA
• PK, K-12
• 29 reviews

Senior: I absolutely LOVE Grand View! I have attended Grand View for 10 years and there is no place I would rather be. Grand View has created an atmosphere that promotes maturity and growth academically as well as spiritually. The teachers truly care about you and want you to succeed and are willing to help you in any way that they can.
Read 29 Reviews

• A-

• 270 Students
• 11:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Spring Creek Sixth Grade Center

• Southeast Polk Community School District, IA
• 6

• A-

• 568 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Indian Hills Junior High School

• West Des Moines Community School District, IA
• 7-8
• 1 review

Alum: I learned more at Indian Hills than my out-of-state high school. The teachers are always willing to go the extra mile and the culture is awesome. I hope they still show those videos about walking "to the left, to the left" in the halls. Go tigers!
Read 1 Review

• B+

• 655 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Urbandale Middle School

• Urbandale Community School District, IA
• 6-8
• 1 review

• B+

• 944 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Cowles Elementary School

• Des Moines Independent Community School District, IA
• PK, K-8

• B+

• 408 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio