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A 163-year-old East Peoria school celebrated 50 years at its current location with an open house Saturday.
Glendale School aluma Patti Robins Staley, said there were about 40 students in her graduating class of 1963. Now a bookkeeper in District 86, she returned to the school Saturday for the celebration.
“It really hasn’t changed,” she said. “It’s the same warm, family-oriented school that I attended.”
Prior to its move to 1000 Bloomington Road in the fall of 1960, the school was located less than a mile away on Matheny Road, in a three-room, framed building, which Glendale Church currently calls home.
Those in attendance Saturday had the chance to tour both facilities. Students guided tours at the current school, while a school bus shuttled those interested to the school’s previous site.
The open house drew young and old. It opened with a recognition program from District 86 associate superintendent, Scott Estes, who served as Glendale’s principal for 10 years.
“We’ve got former principals here, former teachers, a lot of former students and a lot of current people as well,” Estes said. “This is really a center of this area of East Peoria. I think a lot of people who went to school here — and now their kids go to school here — are coming back to have a look around.”
After five years as principal at Central Junior High School, Joseph Sander took over as principal of Glendale at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year.
“It’s a wonderful building,” he said. “I, personally, believe it’s one of the best elementary schools, structure-wise.”
Sander said the concept of providing an open house was to invite former students and parents to come back, “walk the halls, reminisce, share stories, take a look at how education is going right now.”
As for his new job at Glendale, he said, “I love it. This has been a great treat.”
Glendale currently accommodates about 187 third-to fifth-grade students. However, the building used to serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
“It’s good to open it up to the community and see faces that probably haven’t been around here since they were kids,” Estes said. “Some of these people spent there whole childhood here.
“It’s a great day for this community.”
Staley said that being back at Glendale “brings back good memories.”
A 163-year-old East Peoria school celebrated 50 years at its current location with an open house Saturday.
Glendale School aluma Patti Robins Staley, said there were about 40 students in her graduating class of 1963. Now a bookkeeper in District 86, she returned to the school Saturday for the celebration.
“It really hasn’t changed,” she said. “It’s the same warm, family-oriented school that I attended.”
Prior to its move to 1000 Bloomington Road in the fall of 1960, the school was located less than a mile away on Matheny Road, in a three-room, framed building, which Glendale Church currently calls home.
Those in attendance Saturday had the chance to tour both facilities. Students guided tours at the current school, while a school bus shuttled those interested to the school’s previous site.
The open house drew young and old. It opened with a recognition program from District 86 associate superintendent, Scott Estes, who served as Glendale’s principal for 10 years.
“We’ve got former principals here, former teachers, a lot of former students and a lot of current people as well,” Estes said. “This is really a center of this area of East Peoria. I think a lot of people who went to school here — and now their kids go to school here — are coming back to have a look around.”
After five years as principal at Central Junior High School, Joseph Sander took over as principal of Glendale at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year.
“It’s a wonderful building,” he said. “I, personally, believe it’s one of the best elementary schools, structure-wise.”
Sander said the concept of providing an open house was to invite former students and parents to come back, “walk the halls, reminisce, share stories, take a look at how education is going right now.”
As for his new job at Glendale, he said, “I love it. This has been a great treat.”
Glendale currently accommodates about 187 third-to fifth-grade students. However, the building used to serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students.
“It’s good to open it up to the community and see faces that probably haven’t been around here since they were kids,” Estes said. “Some of these people spent there whole childhood here.
“It’s a great day for this community.”
Staley said that being back at Glendale “brings back good memories.”
