Growing and Changing (1950s-1980s)

  • Bishop School

    1950-1959

    • 1950 - Bishop opens, named after Jarvis E. Bishop, a training instructor with the US Army Air Corps in WWII who died in a plane crash in 1942; construction begins on Pastoria (Benner) School

    • 1951 - Benner School opens, named after Edwina Benner, Sunnyvale’s first woman mayor

    • 1951 - A study of the school building needs of the Sunnyvale Elementary School District was conducted by the Board of Education under the direction of Superintendent Stanley Ellis with the assistance of the School of Education at Stanford University. (Schools and Sunnyvale)

    • 1951 - In response to Ellis’s study about future school needs, the community supports the District's request for school bonds to build more classroom facilities.

    • 1952 - 2,340 students

    • 1953 - Ellis and Adair Elementary schools open; Adair named after the first Sunnyvale pilot to die in WWII; McKinley site is closed

    • 1953 - Benner is renamed an intermediate school

    • 1953 - John Holtorf becomes Superintendent

    • 1954 - 4,011 students

    • 1955 - Cherry Chase and Madrone Intermediate Open

    • 1956 - Carson, Morse, and Fairwood Elementary schools open

    • 1956 Encina School site razed

    • 1956 - The District occupied its Frances and McKinley Street location until 1956.

    • 1957 - San Miguel Elementary School opens

    • 1958 - Lakewood Elementary School opens

    1960-1969

    • 1960 - De Anza and Pippin schools open

    • 1961 - Bayside and Fair Oaks elementary schools and Mango Intermediate School open

    • 1962 - Hollenbeck School opens; double sessions (a model of school that had morning sessions and afternoon sessions) ends

    • 1964 - Cumberland School opens

    • 1965 - Superintendent Dr. Henry S. Molino

    1970-1979

    • Community centers open at Madrone, Lakewood, and Ellis

    • 1971 - Expansion of San Miguel, Fair Oaks, Morse, and Madrone schools

    • 1970 - Superintendent - Dr. E.L. Greenblatt

    • 1975 - Bayside and Fair Oaks Elementary schools close

    • 1977 - De Anza and Pippin schools close

    • 1979 - Adair and Benner schools close

    1980-1989

    • 1981 - Mango Intermediate changed to Sunnyvale Jr. High

    • 1982 - San Miguel and Madrone schools close

    • 1983 - Fairwood and Carson schools close; Morse becomes Columbia Community School

    • 1987 - Cumberland and Hollenbeck win Distinguished Schools awards 

    • 1988 - Columbia, Bishop, and Cherry Chase win Distinguished Schools awards

    • 1988 - Sunnyvale Education Foundation begins

    • 1989 - Gary Mills named Superintendent