The school is a far cry from its roots in 1955, when it was built alongside a small, one-way country road, says Bernard Watson, who was the school's second principal, from1956 through 1961. But things quickly changed in the area, as businesses moved into the valley, replacing the orchards. Growth became rampant, Watson says. General Electric Co. brought out families and built permanent homes for residents, and the majority of their children went to Schallenberger.

But Schallenberger's existence started much earlier. In fact the school's origin began more than 160 years ago with its namesake, Moses Schallenberger.

In 1844, an 18-year-old Schallenberger traveled from Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Sierra in search of a better life in California. His pioneer wagon party consisted of 51 members. When the oxen and men were too exhausted to travel, the party built a survival camp at Truckee Lake. Most of the party stayed behind, but Schallenberger and 10 others continued on. The men hoped to return after the snow melted with supplies from Sutter's Fort.

The round trip took almost a year. Schallenberger and two others returned to the camp. The party continued on, but Schallenberger was unable to keep up due to leg cramps. Rather than slowing the group down, he decided to return to the cabin the group had built and wait for help.

His spent three months in complete isolation. He survived by trapping foxes for meals and reading books that were left behind.

Dennis Martin, a member of the rescue party, eventually returned for Schallenberger, who then journeyed south into the Santa Clara Valley, settling in San Jose. His ranch off Schallenberger Road is now home to the San Jose Mercury News.

Schallenberger Elementary was named after the obscure pioneer because he represented perseverance and personal sacrifice, Watson says.

"I don't think Moses Schallenberger ever received his dues as a pioneer," Watson says. "He was a pioneer in San Jose and an active member of the community. The school board chose to honor him because he had an excellent record in community service and achievement."

Long-standing foundation

Schallenberger's sense of community has been the backbone of the school from the beginning, say parents such as Gail Hodgin.

Hodgin has a history with the school. She graduated from Schallenberger in 1967; her two daughters, Claire and Ali, graduated in 1996 and 2001, respectively; and now Hodgin is a third-grade teacher at Schallenberger.

"I knew that my kids were happy here," Hodgin says. "I think that there's a neighborhood feeling with Schallenberger."

That neighborly feeling extends beyond the families who attend the school. Many of the teachers, such as Hodgin, also live near the school.

"I think there's a lure of walking in your community, seeing your neighbors and knowing everyone there," she says. "It has a small town feel."

Charlie Orr also lives in the community and was a principal at Schallenberger for 15 years. He too has a long history with the school. His three children and four grandchildren attended the school. "The one thing that hasn't changed is that same dedication from the teachers for the kids and their desire for them to succeed. Schallenberger has so much history, it's almost one of the hearts of the Willow Glen community," he says. "It teaches children to have heart and loyalty; both make a difference."

Jill Miller has been teaching at Schallenberger for 36 years. She says she started working at the school because it had a reputation for being a wonderful place to teach.

"This community is there to nurture and educate the children and likewise the parents are very generous with their time and money," she says.

Miller retired in June but is filling in for literary resource teacher Gayle Moore while she recuperates from surgery.

Teacher and parent collaboration can be seen throughout the school. An example of this is the evolution of the library.

"The teachers were anxious to have a fine media center," Orr says. "So to do this, each teacher took one student from Jill so that she could spend that class period arranging the library. Schallenberger was then able to have a fine media center because a teacher sacrificed and the others pulled together to help."

The new library is spacious, a commodity the previous library lacked because it shared space with computers. There are shelves for all the books, which were once stacked haphazardly. Tables are now plentiful whereas the old library had none. And when the school remodeled the building, it added a separate computer lab.

"Jill set up the first library and is now setting up the modern one," says substitute teacher Kathy Argabright, who taught at Schallenberger for 18 years and is also retired.

This strong sense of commitment among the school's teachers has never faltered, even as the staff has come and gone throughout the decades, Miller says.

"That special attitude among the staff has been there and is still here and has been so good for the community," she says.

An innovative school

Like Schallenberger's pioneering efforts into California via the Sierra, Schallenberger Elementary has been a leader in education as well. The school has also been ahead of the curve in helping students with special needs and by emphasizing campus aesthetics.

Schallenberger was among the first schools to integrate students through the busing system, San Jose Unified School District spokeswoman Karen Fuqua says. The school was also one of the first in the district to upgrade its technology.

When the courts mandated desegregation in the district, Orr says, the school was glad to comply. The school also took on campus beautification in earnest during Orr's tenure.

But one of the school's biggest accomplishments has been its focus on special needs children. The school has worked hard to move these students into regular classrooms.

Willow Glen resident Joan Cordova's autistic son, Brett, attends Schallenberger.

"Nothing they do has been obstructive toward an appropriate education for students with special needs," she says. "The school has bent over backwards to help make it work. The team, or village, is helping raise this child."

She adds, "The teachers always held his abilities as being greater than his disabilities. This school has taught its students and parents empathy, patience and tolerance. Schallenberger is not just a school for Brett, it's a safe place for him."

Cindy and Phil Bullock also have an autistic child at the school. When the district was evaluating which schools it should close during its second round of campus consolidations, Phil Bullock wanted the district to know how beneficial Schallenberger's teaching methods were for children with disabilities.

"It was the best choice we ever made," Cindy Bullock says. "Kelton is now comfortable in his space."

Her husband adds, "At Schallenberger, the teachers give the students every effort to succeed. The most amazing thing about the students at Schallenberger is that they're respectful and mature, at a very high caliber."

Teaching at Schallenberger can be found at a visceral level, Phil Bullock says. This helps the students develop respect and a high level of maturity by exposing them to diversity and by teaching tolerance. "None of this shows through statistics," he says.

Argabright adds that Schallenberger works hard to involve the community--parents and student--in activities that range from penny drives to outreach.

Community involvement hit an all-time high when Schallenberger families banded together for Argabright.

"I was a recipient of the school's care when I had open heart surgery," Argabright says. "The community delivered meals five days a week for six weeks. My family never ate so well."

Principal Graves says Schallenberger has another reason to be proud.

"We are on the cutting edge as far as technology is concerned," she says. "We have programs that help children learn better. For struggling kids, these programs help motivate them."

For parents such as Cordova and Bullock, the 21st-century infrastructure is just one component in the school's success.

Cordova says Schallenberger's test scores may not be as high as other schools, but it has more to offer.

"In the life skills area they can't be beat," she says. "The school has a tremendous amount to offer to children, both those with special needs and those who are mainstreamed."

Schallenberger is made up of our neighborhood families who recognize the value of a neighborhood school, she says. "It's our community."

Surf On: Schallenberger fifth-grader Travis Meeker checks out the school's new computer lab. The room was part of a major remodel that includes a new library, electrical upgrading and new furniture and carpets.

A Reader's Heaven: Third-grader Meredith Finnigan enjoys the school's new library, with its spacious reading area and shelves stocked with literature. The new library was opened at the start of the 2005-06 school year.

Remembering Meredith

About 30 years ago, Schallenberger School had six grades instead of the five it has today.

Meredith Blanchard was a Schallenberger sixth-grader who died from a horseback riding accident in 1973.

Meredith loved her school, and after her death, Schallenberger began raising funds to install a memorial dedicated to her. Meredith's parents, Mary and Harry, started the funds with Meredith's life savings of $500 and promised to match the funds raised by the school. Total donations added up to $15,000 in cash, labor and supplies, and "Meredith's Corner" was created.

In 2002, parents, students and the school decided that Meredith's Corner needed a face-lift. Students raised $7,000 through fundraisers and additional donations were made by the Blanchard family and their good friends, the Cali family.

Planter boxes were installed along with an irrigation system donated by Landworks. Students and parents filled the boxes with pansies.

The area was also beautified with an archway inlaid with butterflies made by Art Made to Match at 1000 Lincoln Ave.

In 2004, the wrought iron archway with the words "Meredith's Corner" across it was dedicated.

The archway leads to an outdoor classroom with tables and benches where on sunny days, teachers can opt to teach outdoors. The surrounding neighborhood community, Parent Teacher Association and the Schallenberger Home and School Association also enjoy the use of the corner.

The school and community plan to add more benches, trees and a podium, says retired teacher Jill Miller.

The new library, which opened at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year, has a small area with news clippings surrounding Meredith's life, death and her memorial to educate those new to the community.

"This is another example of how the community comes together," former Schallenberger Principal Charlie Orr says. "Schallenberger people are fantastic."