Wilton Woods Elementary School was designed by H. D. Nottingham and Associates and built by Whitener & Skillman Construction, Inc. at a cost of $395,499. The building opened its doors to students for the first time on September 3, 1963. However, the cafeteria was not completed until later in the fall, so for several weeks the children brought their own lunches to school. Wilton Woods’ first principal was James V. Luscavage.

Wilton Woods opened at a time when Fairfax County Public Schools was in the midst of an extended period of rapid enrollment growth. From 1962 to 1963, the student population of FCPS increased from 72,200 to 80,500. Wilton Woods was one of seven new elementary schools that opened during the 1963-64 school year.

In May 1964, construction began on an eight-classroom addition to Wilton Woods. Built at a cost of $148,978 by the Wayne Construction Company, the addition was completed in time for the opening of schools in September 1964.

Fond Memories

Former Wilton Woods students share fond memories of square dancing lessons at school and performing in school plays. In November 1964, 5th graders staged a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

A production of “Macbeth” is a challenge for the most professional group, but the youngsters of a fifth-grade class at Wilton Woods Elementary School in Fairfax County took to it yesterday with an infectious relish – and the help of a special version. They held their fourth performance of the play “by popular demand” before some 200 enraptured youngsters, a smattering of proud parents, and an occasional crying infant. The performance went smoothly, with Mrs. Thonnard standing in the wings, script in hand just in case someone forgot their lines. But no one did. ~ The Washington Post, November 20, 1964, B-1: 5th Graders Stage a Modern ‘Macbeth’

In 1968, the first kindergarteners came to Wilton Woods Elementary School when FCPS began offering kindergarten classes in all elementary schools. One year later, in September 1969, Virlinda Joyner succeeded James Luscavage as principal of Wilton Woods Elementary School. Miss Joyner married while serving as principal, and some alumni remember her by her married name, Mrs. Virlinda Snyder.

Sally Peterson worked as a baker in the kitchen at Wilton Woods Elementary School from its opening until her retirement in 1978. Her cooking left an indelible impression.

[The rolls] were incredible! I still rave about how great those rolls were on spaghetti day. Kids used to buy extra ones à la carte. ~ Ann Hodges Lynn, I Grew up in Franconia, Virginia, Facebook Group

Trading Places

In 1977, Virlinda J. Snyder was appointed principal of Washington Mill Elementary School, and Washington Mill’s principal, Charles P. Gray, was appointed principal of Wilton Woods.

Charles Gray became principal at a time when enrollment in the public schools located in eastern Fairfax County was on the decline. Schools that had seen rapid growth during the post-World War II baby boom were suddenly faced with an abundance of empty classrooms. In the late 1970s, the Fairfax County School Board directed school system administrators to identify schools for possible closure. Wilton Woods was placed in a group of schools called Cluster B, which also included Cameron, Clermont, and Mount Eagle elementary schools. The following enrollment data for Wilton Woods Elementary School was included in a report prepared by FCPS in 1980.

At its meeting on May 23, 1980, the School Board voted to close Wilton Woods. Parents tried unsuccessfully to overturn the decision in court and Wilton Woods closed permanently at the end of the school term in June 1980.

In the third and last trial contesting a school closing, a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge yesterday upheld the county school board's decision to close Wilton Woods Elementary School. Though sympathetic with the citizens who tried to save their small neighborhood school, the judge could find no evidence the school board acted improperly. Wilton Woods was one of seven elementary schools the school board voted to close last spring. ~ The Washington Star, August 27, 1980

Following its closure, Wilton Woods Elementary School was converted into an administrative office. Today, Wilton Woods Center, as the building is known, houses employees in the school system’s Department of Information Technology. The center is also home to the school system’s document management office where alumni can obtain copies of their transcripts and the public can conduct historic records research.

What’s in a Name?

How did Wilton Woods Elementary School get its name? Find out in this video produced for FCPS cable television channel Red Apple 21.