Abbot-Downing School: Top Elementary in Concord, New Hampshire (2026 List)

About Abbot-Downing School

Abbot-Downing School is located at 152 South Street, Concord, in the South End neighborhood. It serves students in grades PK through 5 and enrolls about 345 students with a student–teacher ratio around 12:1. On recent state assessments, about 37% of students are proficient in math and around 42% in reading. The student body is approximately 45% male and 55% female. The???????????????? school provides a warm and community-focused atmosphere in which the employees attribute kindness, social-emotional learning, and the inclusive support of each child to their core values. Those families who reside close to Abbot-Downing generally consider the neighborhood to be quite affordable for Concord, since the median home value in the greater community is estimated to be around $323,700. Parents often commend teachers for their clear communication and the positive atmosphere they foster among the students. Due to its excellent academic results and positive school culture, Abbot-Downing is still being recognized as one of the best elementary schools in New Hampshire for local ????????????????families.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 0%

Reading 0%

State average proficiency is 0% in Math and 0% in Reading.

28

Full-time Teachers

12 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

1

Teachers In First Or Second Year (yrs)

345

Total Students

$63602

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 87.25%

Asian 1.74%

Hispanic 4.35%

Black 2.32%

Two+ Races 4.06%

Native Am. 0.29%

White

87.25%

Asian

1.74%

Hispanic

4.35%

Black

2.32%

Two+ Races

4.06%

Native Am.

0.29%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 345

54.78%

189 Female

45.22%

156 Male

Student Population

345 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 12 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

172 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Abbot-Downing School Contact Information

Address

152 South St., Concord, NH, 03301

View on Map

Phone

(603) 225-0827

Call Now

Website

http://ads.sau8.org/

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 7:45 AM - 2:30 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:30 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

Abbot-Downing School announced that a fifth-grade class recently won the school’s donation drive. The achievement was recognized during a schoolwide update.

FAQ

Q1. What does Abbot-Downing do to make students feel like they are part of a community?

Ans. Schoolwide traditions, morning meetings, and celebrations that everyone takes part in make students feel like they are a part of the school community and that they matter.

Q2. What does the school do to help activities go smoothly?

Ans. Teachers use visual cues, routines, and breaks for movement to help students switch tasks with ease and without too much stress.

Q3. How does Abbot-Downing inform families about new opportunities?

Ans. Families always know when workshops, parties, or meetings are happening because the school shares event calendars, digital alerts, and PTO updates.

Q4. What does the PTO do at Abbot-Downing?

Ans. The PTO sets up family nights, helps with classroom needs, and pays for enrichment projects that make learning more fun and school spirit higher.

Q5. How does the school help students become more resilient?

Ans. Staff teach students how to deal with problems in real life by using positive self-talk, persistence, and coping tools.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

Local kids are transforming ideas into real-world.

See the projects happening right in your neighborhood

What Parents Say