The History Of McKendree Elementary
The first McKendree School was built in 1884 adjacent to McKendree United Methodist Church on the Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. The school derived its name from the church, which was also built that year and named after Bishop William McKendree. Bishop McKendree was the first native-born bishop of the Methodist Church.
In 1923, two unpainted rooms valued at $75.00 on one and a half acres accommodated two teachers, and 78 students representing seven grades. A neighbor's well provided water for the austere building. The school equipment inventory listed only double patent desks and a small blackboard.
In 1938, the school's value was placed at $1,500 even though it had no electricity. It closed in June, 1942.
The 65,000 square foot McKendree Elementary opened its doors to register 934 students, grades kindergarten through fifth, on August 22, 1988. The facility was built at 650 Lakes Parkway, Lawrenceville, to ease overcrowding at two other Gwinnett County schools, Benefield and Dyer elementary schools. The new building contained 44 classrooms, an activity building for indoor physical education, an automated media center, a spacious cafeteria with self-serve lines for students and staff, and administrative offices for the principal and instructional lead teacher.
By the end of its first year, McKendree grew to a student enrollment of over 1,000 students with a staff of 95. Two portable classrooms had been added to the physical plant.
Under the leadership of principal Cindy Antrim, the students and staff of the new McKendree Elementary began to establish their own traditions. The Mustang was voted as the school mascot, and silver and royal blue were the school colors.
McKendree Elementary opened in 1988 and thrives in the "Golden Triangle" of Gwinnett County, Georgia. Our area is bordered by an integral interstate system providing easy access to downtown Atlanta, as well as connecting the University of Georgia with Gwinnett Tech, Georgia Tech and Georgia State University. This prime location has brought about an influx of job opportunities, making it one of the fastest growing areas in the metropolitan region.
McKendree is currently a two-story building situated on 13.49 acres of land running adjacent to the Yellow River in Lawrenceville, Georgia. We are the community hub for 1150 students and their families, drawn from a 1.8-mile radius from the school.
McKendree enjoys a supportive parent population and active PTA, reaching nearly 100% membership each year. Our parents and community members support our school by attending PTA family events, open house, curriculum night, instructional overview sessions, Science Fair, and conferences during the school year. We have more than 200 parents who volunteer on a regular basis to help in classrooms and in our media center. Our children, with the support of their families, are involved in many school-based community projects. They collect toys, canned goods, and money for charitable organizations, as well as visit with retired residents at an assisted living home near the school.
McKendree has consistently been recognized for excellence within our system and school community. We have been recognized as a recipient of the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 Pay for Performance Grant, Gwinnett County's 1997 School of Excellence, and as a recipient of the 1996 Gifted Education Technology Grant. McKendree teachers have been recognized for their contributions through awards such as State Counselor of the Year, Georgia Elementary P.E. Teacher of the Year, Excellence in Education Award, Red Cross Advocate of the Year, and the Presidential Award for Excellence.
We believe that the quality of our school lies within the children, the parents, the community, and the staff of McKendree. It is our partnership with parents and the motivation and enthusiasm of our students that are the core of McKendree's success. We are part of a rapidly growing and diverse community. Our emphasis on individual success and learning provides for constancy of purpose while learning through differences. Again, thanks for visiting our home page.
