Ada B. Clegg

History of Ada B. Clegg Elementary School

            Ada B. Clegg Elementary School was established in 1965, constructed alongside Stacey Middle School within the neighborhood bordered by Larchwood and Sunnycrest streets. While Stacey was named in honor of a renowned Westminster educator, Clegg was designated in tribute to Ada B. Clegg, a long-serving district trustee and active member of the district PTA.

Mrs. Clegg was elected to the Westminster School District Board of Trustees in 1955 and continued to serve the district diligently for nearly twenty-five years, concluding her service in 1979. In addition to her public commitments, she was known for her compassionate personal life, including fostering a child with special needs, as noted in a 1962 article in the Garden Grove News. Upon her passing in 1981, it was said that the school board commemorated her contributions by declaring an Ada Clegg Day. According to Polly Dishno, a former Clegg teacher, classes were shortened to allow staff to attend her funeral.

Clegg Elementary was completed prior to Stacey and opened in time for the 1965–1966 academic year, alongside Willmore Elementary School. The formal dedication occurred in October 1965, attended by notable dignitaries including Ivy Priest. During the ceremony, pastel portraits of both Ada Clegg and Mrs. Stacey, painted at Knott’s Berry Farm, were presented in recognition of their service.

In the mid-1960s, the concept of team teaching was adopted in the Westminster School District. This was especially evident at Clegg, where the walls could be moved to combine the classrooms. While the concept was not new, having been implemented at DeMille six years prior, Clegg certainly made use of them for many years. The school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) also flourished during this period, organizing popular community events such as school carnivals and field days by the 1970s.

The closure of several school sites by 1994 — including Franklin and Boos — saw more pupils spread through the district, resulting in Clegg and Schroeder receiving more students, forcing the need for portables. In response to ongoing enrollment growth and infrastructure demands, Clegg underwent a major modernization project during the 2004–2005 school year. New permanent classrooms, replicating the original Lee Kline architectural designs, were constructed to replace the relocatables that had been placed on the northern portion of the campus.