“Acorns and oak trees. Does that have anything to do with Oak View Elementary School? Absolutely!” Oak View Elementary School opened its doors in September 1968. However it wasn’t on the same day as all other Fairfax County Public Schools.
The school’s history is tied to Dr. Frederick Manning Brooks. He was a former member of the Fairfax County School Board. Back in 1896 Dr. Brooks bought 125 acres south of Fairfax. This included the land where Oak View now stands. He served on the school board from 1910 to 1932. Dr. Brooks never married and had no children. He left his home and part of his farm to his housekeeper Mary Kidwell.
In 1953 Mary Kidwell sold a large portion of the farm to William J. Tate. He was a real estate developer. Tate dedicated the Country Club View neighborhood on the property in 1954. Later in 1966 Crestwood Construction Corporation bought an undeveloped section. They then sold the Oak View school site to the Fairfax County School Board.
Community members wanted the name Oak View. In May 1968 Oak View formally became the school’s name. The name is fitting. At least six different species of oak trees grow on the school grounds. These include black oak pin oak red oak scarlet oak white oak and willow oak trees. White oaks are the most common. Oak trees have one thing in common acorns. Acorns are an important food source for birds deer squirrels and other wildlife. Different oak species can be identified by their acorns bark and leaves.
American Indians used bark from pin oaks red oaks and white oaks for medicine. The timber industry values black oaks red oaks and white oaks. They use them for furniture flooring barrels and railroad ties. Historically they were used in shipbuilding. White oak trees have rounded lobes on their leaves. Their bark is light gray. Oak trees can live from 100 to 300 years. A white oak in Maryland called the Wye Oak was over 460 years old. It fell in a storm in 2002. The children attending Oak View Elementary School are assured of having a beautiful “oak view” for many years. That is if the trees on the school grounds are properly cared for.
Oak View Elementary School didn’t open on time in 1968. Construction delays caused a week-long postponement. According to an Evening Star newspaper article from August 29 1968 the 562 students and 34 staff members had to wait. While workers finished Oak View students and staff went to Holmes Intermediate School. It was nine miles away. They attended Holmes for the first four days of school. On Monday September 9 1968 learning at Oak View Elementary School officially began.
Oak View underwent a major renovation in 1998 thirty years after it was built. The renovation took two years. One change was the canopy at the main entrance. The cafeteria was expanded. A new wing was added to the right side of the building. The kiss and ride area was built. Before the renovation people walked to school or rode the bus. Eight new classrooms were added for the first and third grades. Six classroom spaces were replaced by the library and elevator. Movable walls in some classrooms were replaced with cinder block walls. The main office space was modernized. The doors went from red or navy blue to dark green. This matched the school colors. Hand-painted wall tiles were spread throughout the school.
Today Oak View continues its mission. It is an unwavering commitment to supporting students and their families. It earned the Virginia Department of Education Purple Star Designation for the 2024-25 school year. Oak View celebrated an amazing Field Day. Students showed teamwork and celebrated the successes of their classmates. The annual Storybook Pumpkin Festival was another smashing success. Oak View also coordinates author visits for students. The Eco Club is open to students in grades 3-6. So Oak View Elementary School is more than just a school. It’s a place of history community and growth. It is all thanks to its oak tree namesake.