Winnetka Elementary School kicked off a week-long celebration of the building’s 80th year anniversary and 106 years of providing exemplary education to children from Oak Cliff and surrounding communities.
The anniversary started Nov. 1 with a Fall Carnival where Trustee Ben Mackey and State Representative Jessica Gonzalez presented a special recognition to students, coaches and the building. The W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy mariachi band performed and ROTC presented the colors. This week’s anniversary events include an alumni mixer, dance, movie night and time capsule ceremony.
Winnetka Elementary first opened in 1913 as a four-room frame structure on pasture land bounded by Edgefield, Page, and Windomere Streets in Oak Cliff, which is the current site of W.E. Greiner Middle School. In time, the school building expanded to include a group of wooden buildings.
In 1939, a new building was completed at 1151 S. Edgefield Ave. on a 4.8 acre site. Since 1939, this building has proudly served generations of students, teachers and community members as the official home of Winnetka Elementary School.
Under threat of a nuclear attack in the 1950s, the City of Dallas designated Winnetka Elementary School as one of the few buildings for a fallout and bomb shelter. Over the last 80 years, thousands of students have enjoyed the opportunity to have an education that helps them develop a lifelong love of learning while being mentored and motivated to become productive members of society.
An expansion in 2004 provided additional classroom space and a new library.
Currently, a record number of more than 800 Winnetka students are enrolled from preschool to fifth-grade. The school is proud to have received a Gold Ribbon Award and be home to a four-time World Robotics Champion Team.
