Shirley Lanham ES History
Opened: 1969
OPEN
Shirley Lanham Elementary School provides services to the military dependent children of the men and women stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Marine Base Camp Fuji. It also hosts dependent children of Department of Defense civilian employees as well as children of foreign nationals. Currently, the enrollment stands at about 530 kindergarten through sixth-grade students. Dependent children in grades seven through twelve are bused to Camp Zama Army Base to attend either Zama American Middle School or Zama High School. John O. Arnn Elementary School, located on the Sagamihara Housing Area (SHA), services the children of families stationed at Camp Zama Army Base.
At Shirley Lanham Elementary School, we are proud to have been fully re-accredited during the 2011-12 academic year.
In the 1960’s Harvey Lanham was a Rear Admiral; and the family lived on NAF Atsugi. During this time, all children of military families were bused to Camp Zama and the Sagamihara Housing Area (SHA) to attend school. His wife, Shirley, devoted her time to working to ensure a school for Atsugi children was built on this base.
Shirley was an extraordinary person who enjoyed helping others and happily served in her community. In the fall of 1969, shortly before the school opened its doors to its first students, Shirley Lanham died unexpectedly of a heart attack and was never able to see the school that bears her name.
Lanham Elementary became a Sure Start through fifth grade school for the 2021-22 school year.