Patrick Henry ES (formerly Heidelberg ES #2) History
Opened: 1960
Closed: 2013
Heidelberg American Elementary School was located in the Patrick Henry Village housing area. The school was originally the Heidelberg Primary Center. In 1960, an additional building was constructed, which became the Intermediate Building, #4499. This construction allowed all Patrick Henry Village students through sixth grade to attend Heidelberg American Elementary School.
In 1968, an addition of six classrooms was constructed on the rear of the Primary Building. As a result of the kindergarten becoming a part of the DoDDS school system, the Primary Center was annexed from the community the same year. In 1974, a second addition of six classrooms was added to the Primary Building. Eventually, the kindergarten classes were moved from the Primary Building to the main school.
In 1976, the Heidelberg Middle School was constructed at Patrick Henry Village. The location of this school in Patrick Henry Village created a major change in the Heidelberg complex. Prior to 1976, only students K-6 attended Heidelberg American Elementary School, and all students walked home for lunch. With the construction of the Middle School, all sixth-grade students were transferred to the Heidelberg Middle School, and all elementary students K–5 living on the economy were transferred from Mark Twain Village Elementary School to Heidelberg American Elementary School.
Until 1982, the Primary Center in Patrick Henry Village housed first, second, and third grades, with the three teachers modifying self-contained classes with team teaching modules. This program ended when these teachers were transferred.
By the 1981-82 school year, the Patrick Henry Village school was a complex of three buildings containing all classrooms, including art, learning development, music, speech, reading improvement, and counseling specialists. The facility also had a gymnasium and a learning resource center. Health services were provided by the school nurse. There was a lounge and workroom for the teachers. The school did not have a cafeteria. There were two educable handicapped classes available for primary and intermediate students. During the 1981-82 school year there were 1,200 pupils in kindergarten through fifth grade with fifty-five classroom teachers.
In the 1982-83 school year, building #4493 was reorganized to provide classrooms for Pre-School Handicapped and other special needs classes.
The elementary school’s name was changed from Heidelberg American Elementary School to Patrick Henry Elementary School for the 1988-89 school year. The enrollment remained at 1,250 students until the mid-nineties. For the 1993-94 school year, there were only 1,165 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through five.
There was a separate British School located next to the Patrick Henry Village library and a Canadian School in a building near the Middle School.
Patrick Henry Elementary School had some classes that stayed with the same teacher for two years.
When the school closed, Margy Roehl was the teacher with the longest tenure at the school.
The school was closed in 2013.
Principals
- 1955–1960 Ruby Anderson
- 1960–1964 Jean Littlefield
- 1964–1972 Bill Lutz
- 1972–1980 Lee Davis
- 1980–1985 Herb Templeton
- 1985–1994 Phil Crooks
- Aug 1994–Oct 1994 Nick Siuda
- Oct 1994–Dec 1995 Mary Kubis-Meyer
- Jan 1996–1999 Gayle Vaughn-Wiles
- 1999–2001 Erika Roman
- 2001–2005 Robert Nance
Information from DoD School Information Guides, Rachel Gribble, Margy Roehl and AOSHS Archies