Campus History

Campus History
Campus HistoryGarfield Elementary opened its doors in 1956. The campus earned its name from Charles L. Garfield, a self-employed plumber and a long-serving member of the Pasadena ISD School Board. Garfield was a member of the board for 23 years and was president of the board for 13 years. Upon his retirement from the Board, he was honored with a loving-cup by his constituents for his many years of service. At the time he retired from plumbing, he went to work for the district as the first custodian at the newly built Jackson Junior High, a position he kept for several years. The first principal of Garfield was Ida Mae Meador.  When the school first opened, the students were without desks or chairs and for a time, the children had to sit on the floor during classes and meals. At the time of the school’s opening, 425 students were enrolled and 16 faculty members were on staff. In 1968, a kindergarten wing was added. As the enrollment increased, a new wing was added for third grade students, along with a library. In 1975, a new gymnasium was built and in 1976, Garfield had 641 students and 32 faculty members with Gerald L. Davis as principal. Garfield was the first elementary school in Pasadena ISD to implement a 50/50 Dual Language program. In 2001, a new library and front office were built. Just a few years later in 2009, a SPARK park was added. A year later in 2010, the kitchen was remodeled. In recent years, the campus has received a new roof in 2018 and in 2020, a new AC chiller. The school reached its highest enrollment in 2014, with close to 1,000 students enrolled. Since that time, there has been a steady decrease in enrollment and Garfield’s current enrollment is around 660 students.

List of Principals
-Ida Mae Meador 1956-1973
-Gerald Davis 1973-1980
-Burns Richardson 1980-1984
-Emily Haerle 1984-1987
-Gilbert DeLeon 1987-1991
-Ann Sandoval 1991-1998
-Debbie Barrett 1998-2006
-Scott Harrell 2006-2009
-Courtney Merilatt 2009-2022
-Jennifer Teichelman 2022 - present