Serves: West of Santa Paula
Grades: K-8
Students: 526
Superintendent: Deborah Cuevas
The Briggs School District motto is Rich History….Bright Future. This has never been more evident as Briggs School District is celebrating its 150th anniversary as a school this year. George G. Briggs, for whom the school was named, was originally from Ohio but moved to California at the time of the gold fever. He had accumulated considerable wealth raising deciduous fruits near Marysville and then moved to Ventura County in 1862 and purchased the Santa Paula y Saticoy Rancho with hopes of raising his fruits there as well. His wife died suddenly in 1864 and his plans were never fulfilled. The “Briggs Ranch,” as it was known for many years, was broken up into 150 acre farms in 1867. It was natural, therefore, that his name should be applied to the first school.
The first public school was located near the northwest corner of Cummings and West Telegraph Roads. The schoolhouse was used for dances, Sunday school classes, community gatherings, weddings and funerals.
In 1881, Abner Haines set aside one acre of land for school purposes and it is part of the site on which the school is presently located at the corner of Briggs and West Telegraph Roads. However, the period from 1881 to 1900 was marked by a steady deterioration in the school plant.
Improvements began in 1900, and by 1918 it was praised as a model country district by the Blue Bulletin of the State Department of Education. In 1925, the building was torn down and the present building was constructed. It was dedicated on May 1, 1926.
Fast forward to 2019 and the main building at Briggs School remains true to its form on the corner of Briggs and West Telegraph Roads. In 2014, the district passed a 4.5 million dollar bond for improvements to the site. Recently, the district replaced and restored all of the windows at the main building while maintaining the integrity of the original style. Inside the building, however, 21st century learning is taking place. All students have 1 to 1 computer technology, interactive flat panel touch screens have replaced whiteboards and student desks and chairs are designed for active learning, which emphasizes more participation and interaction from the student rather than solely from the educator. So our district motto, Rich History…Bright Future….lives on.