Kruse Elementary is by far the oldest school in all of Pasadena ISD. The school was founded in 1897 with 27 students in an old chicken house, earning the school the nickname “The Chicken Ranch.” After the school’s founding, Charles Munger, the founder of the city of Pasadena, taught the school’s 27 students for $30 a month. By 1905, the school moved to 400 Main Street where more spacious grounds were available. Five years later, a brick building was built and further renovations took place in 1915. Up until 1939, the school was called Pasadena Grammar School. After long-serving Pasadena ISD board member Oscar Kruse’s death, the school was renamed Oscar Kruse Elementary in 1939. After the passing of Oscar’s son, Karl E. Kruse, another long-serving Pasadena ISD board member in 1961, the school was rededicated and renamed as Kruse Elementary to honor the contributions of both men to the district.
More recently, in 2009, a new campus was built for Kruse Elementary at 400 Park Lane, across the street from the old building. Construction of the new campus was approved by voters as part of a bond issue in November 2004. Enrollment at the campus has been as high as 750 students and is currently near 500 students in 2020. Kruse is proud of its status as a community school, continuing to see the children of former students attend the elementary school.
Achievements:
-2023 Promise PLC Campus.
-2019 Chevron Fuel Your School Recipient.
-Kruse staff have maintained 100% membership to the Education Foundation Cornerstone Club for four years.
-Kruse was rated a Recognized campus for the 95-96; 01-02; 02-03; 03-04; 04-05; 05-06; 07-8; 09-10; 10-11 school years and was Exemplary for the 06-07 school year.
List of Principals
-Mae Smythe 1939-1959
-Leta Cornish 1959-1972
-Dorothea Norville 1972-1976
-Doris Rusicano 1976-1982
-Gilbert DeLeon 1982-1987
-Sylvia Valverde 1987-1988
-Diana De Los Santos 1988-1994
-Benita Gordon 1994-1997
-Rosie Layne 1997-2009
-Sandra Buckner 2009-present