LCPS HISTORY TIMELINE ....................... (Continued from page 21) principal of Catoctin Elementary. Drummond spoke at the dedication of the new Frederick Douglass Elementary on October 11, 2012. (Principal Drummond Way, the official address of the new school, is named in his honor.)
1960s
The average LCPS budget is $3.8 million per year with an average enrollment of 7,421. The National Defense Education Act funds foreign language, math, science and guidance programs at the high school level. Brick-laying, cosmetology, general mechanics, electronicselectricity and drafting are added to the vocational curriculum. Driver education is added to the budget. State law requires textbooks be provided to low-income students. A budget increase from $250 to $1,000 reflects this mandate.
1962
Loudoun Valley High School opens.
1963
Loudoun Valley High School becomes the first school to integrate with the enrollment of 10 African-American students. The students enrolled without incident.
1964
Sterling Elementary opens. One African-American student enrolls at Loudoun County High School.
1965
Waterford Elementary opens. Ten African-American students enroll at Loudoun County High School. A federal court orders the integration of all Loudoun schools by the 1968-1969 school year.
1966
Catoctin Elementary, Guilford Elementary and Hillsboro Elementary (now Charter School) open.
1967
Emerick Elementary opens in Purcellville. Students and staff completed the move from the previous Purcellville Grade School by carrying their desks and books across the street to their new location. Oscar Emerick
22
watches the move to the school named in his honor.
1968
1972
Lovettsville Elementary and Lucketts Elementary open.
Sully Elementary opens. A new rule is implemented requiring that adults serve as bus drivers because of child labor laws. Previously, 42 students had been employed as bus drivers. The final class of 40 students graduates from the all African-American Douglass High School. Their graduation theme was “A Past to be Proud of.” All Loudoun schools become integrated in compliance with the 1965 court order.
1975
1969
Robert Butt becomes superintendent. Broad Run High School opens. When he retired in 1988, Butt had served 19 years as Loudoun’s superintendent and was the longest-serving superintendent among Virginia’s 140 school divisions. When he left the school system, LCPS had 31 schools and was the 16th-largest school district in Virginia with nearly 14,000 students. Fourteen new schools were built during Butt’s tenure. In addition, kindergarten, vocational and adult education, special education and the middle school and alternative school programs were started.
1970s
The average budget is $17 million with an average enrollment of 12,465. The 1970-71 budget emphasizes subject-area teachers. For the first time, employee health insurance is mentioned. The School Board sets aside $15 per month per employee to pay for health and accident insurance. Summer school is offered for the first time; expanding from high school to elementary school by decade’s end. Adult education is made available. Textbooks are furnished for free and made available to all students.
1970
Enrollment is increasing by 600 students per year, and inflation is at six percent. LCPS now needs to add $1 million to the budget annually in order to address growth and debt service.
1971
Blue Ridge Middle and Sterling Middle open.
Rolling Ridge Elementary and Sugarland Elementary open.
1976
J. Lupton Simpson Middle School and Park View High School open.
1977
Seneca Ridge Middle School opens.
1979
Meadowland Elementary opens.
1980s
Enrollment grows to an average of 13,290 with an average budget of $57 million. LCPS sees a decrease in students for the last time. The student population doesn’t return to its 1979 level until 1988. The teacher workforce of 862 earns an average salary of $22,200. By law, family life education and elementary guidance program are added. Required testing of students for special needs also is mandated. A new keyboarding program is funded for students in seventh and eighth grade. State and federal funding ($400,000) is provided to reimburse LCPS for lunch and milk costs. Waterford and Arcola elementary schools add pre-school programs.
1980
Leesburg Elementary opens.
1988
Dr. David Thomas becomes Superintendent.
1989
Algonkian Elementary and Cool Spring Elementary open.
1990s
Enrollment increased by more than 57 percent during the decade. 1998 alone saw the hiring of over 400 new teachers to keep up with population growth (hiring was difficult because the area’s unemployment rate was 1.1 percent). (Continued on page 23)