Jefferson was founded in May of 1884.  The first school, although small, met the educational, recreational and religious needs of the community and was a source of local pride.

In 1907, two classrooms were added to the original construction.  It was painted white and trimmed in black with a bell tower on the top.  The bell from the 1907 building still stands in front of the school and is used in the traditional bell-ringing ceremony to begin each school year.

In 1953, a new school building was built just north of the first school, and in 1954 the old building was torn down. Additional rooms were added over the next five years, and on October 23, 1958, the new Jefferson school was dedicated.

Major construction projects in 1958-59 added the multipurpose room and the office.  In 1975, a second kindergarten classroom was completed.  In 1987-88, the site underwent a $1,000,000 remodel, and in 1998, a beautiful new Library Media Center was completed.  The LMC was named the Harold Woods Library in honor of the 46-year career of Mr. Woods who retired in 2001.

Jefferson has been named a California Distinguished School three times, and in 1997, Jefferson received the nation's highest honor by being named a National Blue Ribbon School.