NHE History

In the beginning  .  .  .    Mrs. Don Weiss, Mrs. Paul Seegers, Mrs. Eugene Lipstate, and Mrs. Weiner   .  .  .  a tree was planted!

The first school bell at Northwood Hills Elementary rang in September,1965. At that time, the school consisted of nine rooms for first through fourth grades. There was an enrollment of 231 students. Mrs. Kirkendall's second grade class won a PTA membership drive and received the honor of choosing the school colors of silver and blue. Eight more class rooms, the gym, office and cafetorium were opened within the next two years. The library was the last to be completed, opening in 1970.

Would you believe? . . . In 1965, an 8 oz. bottle of Elmer's Glue cost $.23. Today, it costs $1.10. When NHE was being built, Principal Mackie Kazdoy's last name wasn't Kazdoy! She was Mackie Seid and she was still in elementary school herself! The first PTA fund raiser was a supply sale that was so successful, the next fund raiser wasn't held for several years. PTA dues were $2.00 for a single membership. Today, they are $7.00. The person holding the PTA Safety Chairperson board position was also responsible for Civil Defense education. In addition to administering sight and hearing tests, the PTA Health and Public Welfare committee also checked area newstands for unacceptable literature. The first PTA meeting was held on August 19, 1965, at Spring Valley Elementary School. Meetings weren't held at Northwood Hills Elementary until the fall of 1967, when the cafetorium was finally completed. Mackie Seid (later to become Kazdoy) (circa 1965)

The first PTA Treasurer's report showed a balance of $461.94. Today, we have over $38,000 in this account. In 1966, sixth grade patrol boys began helping children cross the street to and from school. Previously, this was done by parents. In order to help alleviate traffic around NHE, Birchridge Drive was opened in 1966. A third grade class saved their ice cream money and donated a sugar gum tree and a silver maple tree to the school. The silver maple can still be seen just outside the cafetorium adjacent to the faculty parking lot, continuously providing shade for a picnic table underneath. In April, 1967, voters approved a measure to air condition all existing buildings by 1969. Today, the air conditioning system includes several backup systems, making it virtually impossible for the school to ever be without it! In 1968, classes wrote letters to servicemen in Vietnam. Also, a third grade class collected school items for children in South Vietnam. That same year, children brought gifts to school for the Toys for Tots program. Santa picked them up at school for distribution to the needy. Race ahead to the Year 2000, when the NHE School Song was written!  It was performed for the first time by the Fourth Graders during that Fall semester.  Would you like to hear it?