Three Oaks Elementary School first opened its doors to 750 students in kindergarten through fifth grade in August of 1988. One of the first of many dignitaries to visit the school was a University of Virginia professor, Dr. E. Jr., whose writings had inspired the new principal and teachers at Three Oaks Elementary School. Dr. Hirch’s basic premise that “knowledge builds on knowledge” had resulted in the creation of a content based curriculum that spiraled through the grades and provided every student with a solid understanding of concepts in language arts, history, world history and geography, science, mathematics, music and the visual arts. Dr. Hirsch wrote CULTURAL LITERACY: What Every American Should Know in 1988. While the front of that book covered educational information and trends, the latter part of the book had a list of topics he thought every American should know. That list was the topic of discussion at a conference, hosted by Dr. Hirsch, where administrators, topic specialists, and teachers determined what material would be appropriate for each grade level. Attendees of that conference included Lee County administrator, Dr. Jay Lutz, and Three Oaks Elementary School principal, Dr. Connie Jones. The product of that conference became the working content list at Three Oaks Elementary School. From that list, teachers met at first bi-weekly during the summer, and then on-going through the course of the first year to develop a sequence that became the model for other schools to follow. Dr. Hirsch’s visit to Three Oaks Elementary was captured in the September, 1991 issue of LIFE Magazine, and was the inspiration for the teaching staff to continue their mission of providing a “Fair and Excellent Education For All” in the years to follow. Since those exciting early years, Three Oaks Elementary has continued to receive awards and recognition for innovative programs and academic excellence. These recognitions include:
Placement in the Congressional record, by Honorable Porter J. Goss
Florida Five Star School
Florida Red Carpet School
“Profiles in Excellence” Award from National School Boards’ Association
Subject of PBS Documentary, “The Uncommon Classroom”
Subject of ABC Evening News segment, hosted by Peter Jennings
State of Florida A+ School
