Clarendon Avenue Elementary School

Clarendon's History

• 1949-1950: The School Board purchases the site. There is a story that the road in front of the site had previously fronted a farm and was named after the farmer’s two children, Clare and Don and that the school took the name of the road, but it is not true.
• 3/17/1951: Clarendon Avenue Elementary opened its doors.  The original cost was &160,000.oo.  There was an enrollment of 243 students and a small teaching staff.   One school bus made two runs to accommodate students.
• 1952: The Clarendon playground was finished. The hot lunch program began. Lunches were 25¢.
• 1956: Clarendon becomes K-8, Joint District #3, but the building houses K-6. The small gym was added for a total cost of $25,000.00.
• 1956: Three one-room schools were consolidated into Clarendon: West Vernon, Vernon Center, and Edgewood. Due to space limitations, Clarendon houses grades K-4. The enrollment was 547 and the teaching staff had grown to 17.
• 1959: An addition opened at a cost of $405,283.78. The office, gym, cafeteria, band and music rooms were all part of the addition. Students in grades K, 5, and 6  from newly annexed school, Jonesville, attended Clarendon.
• 1960: The enrollment grew to 661 with a staff of 27. Clarendon officially becomes K- 6. Fifth and sixth graders return to Clarendon.
• 1964: The west wing was added it included 12 classrooms plus three office and a teacher’s lounge. The enrollment jumps to 900 students.
• 1972: All schools from the Mukwonago Area Schools, Joint District #10. Sixth graders are moved to Park View because of space constraints. Enrollment at Clarendon is now 1037 with a staff of 42.
• 1973: Fifth graders are moved to Washington Avenue due to being overcrowded. The school becomes known as the Clarendon Avenue complex.
• 1974: The library doubles in size. Enrollment is 1094.
• 1979: The small gym is converted into classrooms. Enrollment is 1241.
• 1980: Enrollment is at 1241 with a teaching staff of 69.
• 1981: The cafeteria is cut in half to make another classroom. Enrollment is at 1253 with a staff of 76.
• 1979: Redistricting occurs when Section Elementary opens. Fifth and sixth graders move back to Clarendon. Enrollment is 789 with a staff of 50.
• 1982: Dr. John Shanahan is hired as principal.
• 1989: Student Council is formed. Clarendon Ink, our in-school publishing center begins. Enrollment is at 779.
• 1990: Our school logo changes to Clarendon Avenue Cougars.
• 1999: In December, the staff packed up everything and moved to Rolling Hills Elementary, a school that had just been built.  Clarendon underwent major renovations.
• 2000: In August, the newly renovated Clarendon opened its doors.
• 2013: Dr. John Shanahan retires as principal.  Mr. Ben Kossow is hired as principal.
• 2014: The gym receives a new projection screen and new stage curtains. The library was reorganized to accommodate the library lab and make use of much-needed space.
• 2016: Clarendon celebrated its 65th anniversary in March. New principal is hired Andrea Kaplan, as Mr. Kossow moves to the district office.