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School Profile

  • Our School at a Glance

    • School Level: Elementary (Pre-K-5)
    • Date Opened: 1927
    • Principal: Michael "Buddy" Lint
    • Enrollment: 615 Students
    • Address: 12915 Occoquan Rd. Woodbridge, VA 22192
    • Phone: 703-494-2195
    • Mascot: Braves
    • School Colors: Green & Gold

Vision

At Occoquan, we are a family and we...

Give young learners the tools to unlock their own potential and intellectual capacity in order to create a more positive tomorrow.

Mission

At Occoquan, we are committed to:

Inspire children to be creative, healthy, lifelong learners.

History

Occoquan Elementary School is named after the town of Occoquan, which is located on the banks of the Occoquan River. The word Occoquan is from an Algonquian Doeg word meaning "at the end of the water". The area that is Occoquan today was long occupied by the Indigenous People. Even though the Doeg Tribe split up into several sections across Virginia, they were still one Village of people. So, we here at Occoquan Elementary School try to embrace this legacy with all of our students in helping them understand that even though we may live in or come from different parts of the world, we are still able to be united as one. Hence, the 4 Tribes, 1 Village mentality we embrace at the school.

The historic town of Occoquan, Virginia, stands by the river that bears its name in Prince William County, Virginia, 25 minutes south of Washington, D.C. The word Occoquan comes from the Dogue Indian language meaning "at the end of the water." Occoquan School was named after the town in which it was established, just five minutes away from its present location. The original schoolhouse still stands in Occoquan on Commerce Street.

First established as a town school between 1867 and 1899, the school was built as a two-room schoolhouse, with the lower grades on one side and the upper grades on the other. The sidewalk in front of the school was marked with the letters L for lower and H for higher so there would be no confusion as to where the students needed to enter the building.

Between 1901 and 1909, the school became a public school and in 1927 moved to its present location on Occoquan Road on 6 acres of land purchased by the county. The cornerstone was laid on May 18, 1927, making it the oldest (still standing and in use) public school in Prince William County. The new school, a two-story building, contained 8 rooms: 6 classrooms, three for the elementary grades and three for high school, a laboratory, and an auditorium with a stage and a library behind the stage.

Ms. Elizabeth Vaughan was the first principal and a Latin I teacher. The other two high school teachers were Alice Williams and John Kline. Fannie Nunnick was the 6th and 7th grade teacher; Ercelle Savage Weedon was the 4th and 5th grade teacher, and grades 1-3 were taught by Florence Gossom Wayland.

Around the time of World War II (1943-44), a cannery was built next to the school. It operated through the war years with many of the teachers who taught at Occoquan also working in the cannery during their off time. This building, "B" as it is known today, was purchased by the county in 1953 and became the second addition to the Occoquan School campus.

In 1953, Gar-Field High School opened to house the children from the 8th through 12th grades. This building is now the Ferlazzo Building and no longer a school. In the 1960's Fred Lynn Middle School was established, and Occoquan became an elementary school.

A cafeteria/multipurpose room was built as the third addition to the campus. The fourth and final building, the kindergarten building, was then added to complete what is now Occoquan Elementary School.

​Today, Occoquan Elementary is home to approximately 630 students and a faculty and staff of 65. Occoquan Elementary School is dedicated to the service of the students in the community from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Learn More

Past Occoquan Principals

  • Ms. Elizabeth Vaughan
  • Mr. Caldwell
  • Mr. Ward Peters
  • Mr. Herbert Saunders
  • Mr. Jack Parr
  • Mr. Shepard Elmore
  • Mr. Charlie Ricks
  • Mr. Richard Gastley
  • Mr. Bruce Leiby - Bel-Air Elementary
  • Dr. Mike Drummond - Cedar Point Elementary
  • Mr. Todd Erickson - Elementary School Associate Superintendent
  • Mrs. Sandra Carrillo
  • Mr. Hamish Brewer

Special Thanks

Thank you, Mrs. Nelly Curtis, for providing a great deal of the valuable historical information that made this page possible. Mrs. Curtis is a former teacher of Occoquan School. She has a major in Home Economics. From 1942-53, she taught Biology, Chemistry, and General Sciences at Occoquan.

Mrs. Curtis is a member of the Occoquan Historical Society. We have consulted several sources to gather the information provided above. If you find that this information is not quite correct, please email your corrections to [email protected]. Thank you for any information you may provide.