Serving Our Community Since 1894
About Garvey School District
From a single classroom in a ranch granary to eleven schools serving Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, and South San Gabriel.
Our Vision
Providing a premier education in a 21st century learning environment to develop tomorrow's responsible leaders.
Our Mission
The students of the Garvey School District will learn academic skills, moral and ethical values and a respect for diversity that will enable them to be life-long learners and productive members of a global society.
Recognition & Accomplishments
2020
National Blue Ribbon School
Monterey Vista Elementary
Honors schools that close achievement and opportunity gaps and where students achieve high learning standards.
California Distinguished Schools
Honors outstanding programs and practices in teaching, learning, collaboration, and data-driven school efforts. Elementary and middle schools are recognized in alternate years.
2024Duff Language Magnet Academy
2021Garvey Intermediate School
2021Temple Intermediate School
2020Bitely Elementary
2020Monterey Vista Elementary
2020Rice Elementary School
2018Monterey Vista Elementary
2014Monterey Vista Elementary
2014Willard Elementary
2012Hillcrest Elementary
Title I Academic Achievement Awards
Honors Title I schools that have significantly closed the achievement gap and made significant progress toward proficiency on California's academic content standards.
2014Monterey Vista Elementary
2014Willard Elementary
2013Dewey Elementary
2012Sanchez Elementary
2011Willard Elementary
2009Monterey Vista Elementary
Our History
About Richard Garvey
Richard Garvey was born in Ireland in 1838 and immigrated to this country in 1850 at the age of 12. During the Civil War days, he was active in riding the Pony Express with Lucky Baldwin. He married Theresa Mooney in 1884, who died at the young age of 22, leaving one son, Richard Garvey, Jr.
In 1890, approximately 15 children lived in the area that is now the Garvey School District, but no school existed. Richard Garvey, Sr. visited the County Board of Supervisors and requested the organization of a school district. He later contributed the land for the first school.
Garvey School (Est. 1894)
In 1892, land (330’ x 264’) was set aside for Garvey School. While a petition for the school was pending, the first teacher, Miss Alica McCollum, taught forty children in the granary on the Garvey Ranch, near the present corner of New and Garvey Avenues.
On March 30, 1894, the petition was approved and Garvey School District was officially formed. Work began almost immediately on a two-room structure on land donated by Mr. Garvey at the corner of Garvey and Hellman (now Jackson).
Our Schools Through the Years
1894Richard Garvey Intermediate School (land set aside 1892)
1924Frances Willard Elementary School
1924John Marshall School
1926Monterey Vista Elementary School
1927Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School
1950Fern School (now Temple Intermediate School)
1958Dan T. Williams School (named for a former Superintendent)
1961Hillcrest Elementary School
1965Margaret Duff School (now Duff Language Magnet Academy; named for a former Principal)
1965Dewey Elementary School
1967Eldridge Rice Elementary School (named for a former Superintendent)
1986Arlene Bitely Elementary School (named for a former Board Member)
When the district moved to the intermediate configuration, Fern School was divided into Fern Intermediate and Fern Elementary. In 1989, Fern Intermediate was renamed for Roger Temple, a longtime teacher, principal, and superintendent who passed away that same year. Fern Elementary was later renamed for George I. Sánchez, a well-known sociologist and writer who was a leading reformer of bilingual education.
The Garvey family was generous in donating land and money to the area and has no remaining heirs. Richard Garvey, Sr. and his family are laid to rest at the Garvey Mausoleum in Calvary Cemetery (corner of Garvey and Jackson) in Los Angeles.
Garvey School District
Today
A district that began with 15 students and one classroom now serves students from 8 months old through Grade 8, from diverse backgrounds, predominantly Asian and Latin American. Garvey operates nine elementary schools and two intermediate schools (Grades 7–8).
The District serves the southern portion of the city of Rosemead, parts of Monterey Park and San Gabriel, and the unincorporated community of South San Gabriel. Monterey Vista and Hillcrest are located in Monterey Park, Dewey Avenue is in San Gabriel, and all other schools are in Rosemead.
District Office: 2730 Del Mar Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770 · (626) 307-3400
Learn More
Visit
The Historical Museum of Monterey Park
781 S. Orange Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91754
Saturday & Sunday, 2:00–4:00 pm
