Why the South Los Altos Community Loves Oak Avenue Elementary School

Back in the early 1970’s when I went to Oak Avenue Elementary, the school was a small neighborhood school.  My kindergarten class lasted all day, there was no after school child care like the YMCA Kid’s Place and there were just 12 classrooms.  There was no multipurpose room or computer lab (what were computers).  Kick ball, basketball, and “Kill the Pill” were the games played during lunch and recess and half of the field consisted of weeds and gopher holes.

Many of the teachers taught classes with combined grades.  Students might be in a 2nd/3rd grade class or 3rd/4th grade class.  Hot lunch consisted of McDonald’s hamburgers or Der Wienerschnitzel hot dogs.  Mrs. Finch was our Principle and 6th graders, with their “safety” sashes and stop signs, did the cross walk duty.

Things have certainly change over the years and the school and it’s facilities have grown.  Amy Romem is the Principle (although she’ll is out on maternity leave) and enrollment is up.  This video shows why our south Los Altos community loves the “newer” Oak Elementary School.