Welches Elementary School

Tucked into the foothills of Mount Hood along the scenic Sandy River corridor, Welches Elementary serves a tight-knit community where outdoor adventure is practically part of the curriculum. Families who've chosen this mountain lifestyle — whether full-time residents or those who made the move from Portland to trade city life for trails and ski slopes — tend to find a school that punches well above its size, with strong math and English scores that rival much larger suburban schools. It's the kind of place where teachers know every kid by name, and the surrounding landscape gives the whole experience a character that's hard to find anywhere else in the state.