About the Encinitas Union School District 
The Encinitas Union School District serves the City of Encinitas and the
La Costa area of Carlsbad in North San Diego County. Approximately 5,600
students in Kindergarten -6th grade are enrolled in the District's nine schools
encompassing ten different sites. All of our District's schools have been
recognized as California Distinguished Schools, and La Costa Heights School
and Olivenhain Pioneer have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
The District serves a diverse and varied community. The student population
is approximately 15% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 80 % Caucasian, and 3% other minorities.
La Costa Heights, Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary, and Paul Ecke Central/Pacific View were named California Distinguished Schools in 1996-1997. Capri Elementary, Mission Estancia and Park Dale Lane were recognized as California Distinguished schools during the 1997-98 school year. Flora Vista Elementary and Ocean Knoll were recognized as California Distinguished Schools in 1999-00. The Distinguished Schools program recognizes approximately 225 elementary schools every other year who are doing an exemplary job of educating students.
All three Encinitas districts (Encinitas USD, San Dieguito UHSD, and Cardiff USD) consistently rate high in the state and county for their student test scores and academic and supplemental programs. Scores on the SAT9 test place the districts far above the county average in all subjects.
Encinitas' school history of recognition for outstanding schools is a tribute to the efforts of the Encinitas staff, students, community participants, and parents who are actively involved with the schools.
A Historical Perspective
Back in the days of early Encinitas, settlers moved in and started raising families. When the children needed a school, everyone in the community stepped in to build a school for the children. This spirit is very much alive even today!
Encinitas has not forgotten its very first school. Our first one room school
house is now 113 years old and has been authentically restored. It was built
in 1883 and was operated by the Encinitas School District, which had formed
one year earlier. The land for the school was donated by John Pitcher and
the school was built by Mr. E. G. Hammond. Fifteen children, more or less,
were taught together in this one-room schoolhouse with all ages taught by
one teacher. After much fund raising and lots of hard work, the old schoolhouse
now serves as a historical center for Encinitas school children and residents.
To learn more about the history of Encinitas visit the City of Encinitas Website. Also, open our brochure on the District of Encinitas (pdf).
ENCINITAS TIMELINE
From Goat Roping and a Town Named Merle, The Story of Encinitas
by Kathie Jenuine.
- 1000 BC Native Americans: Kumeyaay; Dieguiño; Luiseño; La Jollan
- 1669 De Portola
- 1786 Missionaries
- 1820 Zenith of Missions
- 1842 Ybarra awarded Rancho Los Encinitos.
- 1846 United States declares war on Mexico.
- 1850 California becomes part of the United States.
- 1875 Nathan Eaton settles near Batiquitos Lagoon. Hector MacKinnon homesteads near San Elijo in Cardiff.
- 1881 Encinitas is born! California Southern Railroad directs Thomas Rattan to lay out the town of Encinitas. Surveyor Sanford is hired. James Elliot, railroad foreman, plants Encinitas' eucalyptus trees. John Pitcher and Thomas Rattan are Encinitas founders.
- 1882 Railroad comes through Encinitas for first time on August 14th. Encinitas population: 11
- 1883 E.G. Hammond family arrives in Encinitas and doubles town's population to 22. Encinitas schoolhouse is built (near today's Pacific View School).
- 1884 Flood! Thirty miles of railroad tracks are wiped out. Olivenhain is born! German immigrants arrive from Colorado.
- 1886 Olivenhain School opens in vacant house of Theodore Pinther.
- 1887 Encinitas train station is built.
- 1888 Olivenhain builds new one-room schoolhouse, to remain open for the next 54 years. Encinitas experiences building boom. Town of Merle (Leucadia) is created.
- 1895 Olivenhain Meeting Hall is constructed.
- 1911 Frank Cullen plans town of Cardiff.
- 1913 Highway 101, a two-lane road, is paved.
- 1915 Electricity lights up Encinitas.
- 1922 Lake Hodges Dam is completed - Encinitas gets water.
- 1925 Coast Dispatch Newspaper is founded.
- 1927 Central School (renamed Paul Ecke Central School in 1986) opens.
- 1928 La Paloma Theater opens. Beginning of Paul Ecke Poinsettia Ranch.
- 1929 Encinitas Boathouses are built (3rd Street).
- 1936 Self-Realization Fellowship is built.
- 1937 Del Mar Fair Opens. Highway 101 is widened because of traffic from the Del Mar Race Track. San Dieguito High School opens.
- 1946 Electricity comes to Olivenhain.
- 1953 Pacific View School, originally named Encinitas Elementary School, opens.
- 1959 Ocean Knoll School welcomes children.
- 1960 Ada Harris School is built.
- 1961 Olivenhain Municipal Water District - water is finally available to the valley!
- 1966 Interstate 5 Freeway opens (Sorrento Valley north past Oceanside).
- 1969 Capri School opens.
- 1975 Park Dale Lane School opens.
- 1979 Flora Vista School opens. 1986 Communities of Cardiff, Leucadia, Olivenhain and Encinitas become incorporated as Encinitas.
- 1987 La Costa Heights Elementary School opens.
- 1990 Mission Estancia Elementary School opens.
- 1991 Encinitas Union School District offices move to Encinitas Boulevard after 22 years beside Central School.
- 1994 Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School opens.
- 1998 Encinitas population: 58,915
- 2000 El Camino Creek School opens.
- 2006 City of Encinitas celebrates 20th anniversary of incorporation