History
Building Traditions. Honoring Champions. Celebrating History.
Washington Elementary School District's history is on display with its athletics.
As the area of North Phoenix grew, the Washington Elementary School District grew as well. The school district started as a single K-8 school to serve a large farming community.
Washington Elementary (1891).
As the city population spread north, the district slowly added schools from 1949 and through the 1960's defining the boundaries and servicing the communities as they continued to fill in. Sunnyslope Elem (1949), Maryland (1952), Mountain View (1952), Orangewood (1955), Alta Vista (1956), Desert View (1956), Ocotillo (1957), Royal Palm (1959), Sahuaro (1960), Palo Verde (1961), Cholla (1961), Shaw Butte (1964), Manzanita (1964), Richard E. Miller (1967).
Then, from 1970 until 1980, another major growth spurt in certain areas created crowding, while a new demand was being created on the northern side of the district. A new wave of schools were rapidly added to provide some relief to the crowding and service new growth near the northern boundary. In just ten years, the district doubled the number of schools.
Roadrunner (1970), Cactus Wren (1970), Moon Mountain (1970), Desert Foothills (1970), Ironwood School (1970), Senita/now Abraham Lincoln Traditional School (1970), Chaparral (1973), Arroyo (1974), Sunburst (1974), Lakeview (1975), Tumbleweed (1975), Acacia (1975), Sunset (1977), Sweetwater (1980), John Jabobs (1980).
Until 1984, the WESD was made up of a combination of K-8, K-6 schools and K-4/ 5-8 "partner" schools located near each other. In 1984-85 the district converted four schools (Cholla, Desert Foothills, Palo Verde and Royal Palm) into Junior High Schools and built one last new school, Mountain Sky (1985).
Athletics have been a part of that history. The five junior high schools started tracking their own District Championships starting in 1985-86. Prior to that, all records for sports were K-8 or K-6 records. Some have been lost to history. If you can fill in any of those gaps, please assist us by emailing perry.mason@wesdschools.org
NOTE - The years listed below may reflect the school year as it began, or the season the championship occurred. For example, "1990" may indicate the 1990-91 school year, or a sport which finished at the end of the 1989-90 school year. From 1986 - 2021 the championship records were only kept at the school without regulation. This would explain why there may appear to be champions in the same sport in the same school year.
The Washington Elementary School District has a long history of athletic competition. Please help us fill this page with history. We are looking for stories and pictures of teams and individuals portraying this rich history. Please contact perry.mason@wesdschools.org with pictures or stories.
Championships
- WESD Boys Basketball Championships
- WESD Girls' Basketball Championships
- WESD Girls' Volleyball Championships
- WESD Boys Volleyball Championships
- WESD Wrestling Championships
- WESD Middle School Girls' Softball Championships
- WESD K-8 School Girls' Softball Championships
- WESD Girls' Track and Field Championships
- WESD Boys Track and Field Championships
- WESD Cross Country Championships
- WESD Soccer Championships
- WESD Pom/Cheer
- WESD 5-6 Grade Boys' Basketball
- WESD 5-6 Grade Girls' Basketball
