Norris School District

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**Norris School District**
Norris school district logo
Established:	1880
Location/Schools:	Bakersfield,California Norris Elementary Norris Middle School Olive Drive Elementary William B. Bimat
Staff:	Dr. Wallace McCormick, Superintendent

Norris School District is a school district located in Bakersfield, California.

Norris School District was established in 1880, when farmer, Robert Norris, donated land to the Norris School District in Northwest Bakersfield. The school district has grown since then, but not by much. There are currently three elementary schools and one under construction: Norris Elementary, Olive Drive, William B. Bimat, and Veterans Elementary (opening in fall 2007). There is only one middle school, Norris Middle School, but superintendent, Dr. Wallace McCormick has plans to build two new elementaries and one new middle school.

In December, 1998, Norris School District received a Golden Bell Award for their library program.

1 The Schools
2 External links

[edit] The Schools

With the growth of the school district, there have been two new schools built in the past decade. The district intends on building three more schools by Fall 2009.

[edit] Norris Elementary School

At first the Norris School was taught in a house of a local woman in 1880, however the Norris School was built in 1882 near Rosedale on land donated by William Norris, a local farmer. For 32 years, students in grades eight through one (at that time, children actually progressed from the highest to lowest grades) learned the three R's here. They also received moral and religious teachings through methods that relied heavily on rote and recitation. A teacher of a one-room school was expected to teach all eight grades as well as to serve as custodian, nurse, and disciplinarian, all for relatively little pay. The teachers at Norris School were fortunate in that one of the trustees of the district provided wood for the stove. In 1915, the school was rebuilt and it was much larger. Again in the 1950s it was reconstructed and again for the final time in 1980. In 2005 the school was moved to a new location for the middle school to have more room for more students. (In 2005 there were at least 3 students new to the Middle School every week.)

[edit] Norris Middle School

Norris Middle School was established in 1959 after parting from the elementary school. The school was built next door to the elementary and had before been part of the elementary. The school has progressed since then and in 2005 the Norris Elementary said goodbye to its historical campus and was moved out to Old Farm Road. The band, directed by Walter Crider, recently won an Outstanding Music Award, And the choir, directed by Amanda Isaac, won an Excellent Music Award. Norris Middle's cuurent principal is Jonathan R. Boles.

This school is the district's only middle school.

[edit] Olive Drive Elementary

Olive Drive Elementary was built in 1988 and opened in 1989. Due to growth within the District, nine additional classrooms were added in 2003. This school teaches grades Kindergarten through Grade 5, and the current principal is Darren Grishem.

[edit] William B. Bimat Elementary

William B. Bimat is an elementary school in the Norris School District, which teaches classes K-5. This school was opened in 2001-2002 school year, and the current principal is Daniel G. Weirather.