Goodrell Middle School Des Moines (2026 List)

About Goodrell Middle School

Goodrell Middle School is in a residential area of Des Moines at 3300 East 29th Street. It serves grades 6–8. The school has 522 students and a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. It has a positive atmosphere that encourages curiosity and critical thinking. There are 48% female and 52% male in the school, and 40% of the students are good at math and 40% are good at reading. Goodrell is an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School that uses the Middle Years Programme (MYP) to help students connect what they learn in school to what they do in real life. Outside of class, students can join a wide range of extracurricular activities, such as interest groups like Cooking Club, Gardening Club, and eSports, as well as sports like soccer, volleyball, and Unified Sports. The school is dedicated to making sure that everyone who comes has a clean and organized space. Prices for homes in the area usually range from $175,000 to $295,000. Families like the school because the teachers are dedicated and the leadership is well-organized. Goodrell Middle School wants to be one ofthe best middle schools in Iowa.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 40%

Reading 40%

State average proficiency is 40% in Math and 40% in Reading.

35

Full-time Teachers

14 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

493

Total Students

$40997

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 34.89%

Asian 5.68%

Hispanic 31.03%

Black 21.5%

Two+ Races 6.09%

Native Am. 0.41%

White

34.89%

Asian

5.68%

Hispanic

31.03%

Black

21.5%

Two+ Races

6.09%

Native Am.

0.41%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 493

48.28%

238 Female

51.72%

255 Male

Student Population

493 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 14 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

259 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Goodrell Middle School Contact Information

Address

3300 E. 29th Street, Des Moines, IA, 50317

View on Map

Phone

(515) 242-8444

Call Now

Website

dmschools.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: 8:30 AM – 3:25 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 8:15 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

Goodrell is expanding its International Baccalaureate (IB) instructional spaces in 2026 through targeted district investments. The school is implementing new strategies to reduce class sizes and enhance individual student mentorship. Students are currently engaged in community-based global citizenship projects as part of their IB curriculum.

FAQ

Q1. What does it mean for Goodrell Middle School students to have the International Baccalaureate (IB) designation?

Ans. Goodrell is an IB World School, which means it follows the Middle Years Programme (MYP). This program helps students connect what they learn in school to the real world.

Q2. Will 8th-grade girls at Goodrell Middle School be able to compete in sports this winter?

Ans. Yes, girls in 8th grade can play basketball and wrestle in the winter. Practices usually take place right after school.

Q3. What do students at Goodrell Middle School have to do for community service?

Ans. Goodrell students do "Service as Action" projects as part of the IB MYP curriculum. Each year, they have to do community service hours and write about what they learned.

Q4. How does Goodrell Middle School deal with bullying and reports of unsafe behavior by students?

Ans. Goodrell has a strict anti-bullying policy and an anonymous reporting system. All grade levels have regular social-emotional learning sessions to help with this.

Q5. Are Goodrell Middle School students allowed to take math classes at the high school level?

Ans. Yes, if they meet the district's math proficiency and prerequisite requirements, eligible students can take Algebra I or a higher level course for high school credit.

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