Thousand Oaks High School Timeline
Compiled by Jerry Morris
The following information is from the Oxnard Press Courier archives that are stored on
filmstrips at the Museum of Ventura County. Thanks to Charles Johnson, Librarian for the
Museum of Ventura County, and his dedicated volunteer staff for assistance with this research.
The Oxnard Union High School District opened Oxnard High School in 1901 with 125
students. It served the Oxnard Plain, Camarillo, and Conejo Valley. By the 1950s a new
Oxnard High School campus had been built on 5th Street in Oxnard. Camarillo High opened in
1955 and its students came from Camarillo and Conejo. Hueneme High opened in 1959 to
serve south Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
Thousand Oaks High Related
Ventura County Related
1958
November 13, 1958: Five High Schools
Possible by 1962 in Oxnard District
The fourth school would most likely be in
the El Rio area and the fifth in Thousand
Oaks. The final decision will be based
upon population growth.
1959
April 9, 1959: Conejo, Timber, Santa
Rosa Set Hearing on Unionization
(unification)
Parents indicate they want their students
in the new district to go to Camarillo High
School in the Oxnard Union High School
District rather than Moorpark High
because there is more classroom space.
June 26, 1959: No Early Need for
Fourth High School. Oxnard District
Has Plenty of Space.
With the additional construction of 25
new classrooms at Camarillo High and 24
at Hueneme High the district will have
enough capacity until 1962.
1958
November 22, 1958: $914,000 Bond
Election in Simi Valley Scheduled for
January 27, 1959
December 17, 1958: Santa Rosa School
Problem Unresolved Regarding Park
Oaks Elementary School
Unsold homes will eventually be used as
classrooms until the school is completed.
December 22, 1958: Many School
Districts Face Growth Dilemma. Santa
Rosa, Conejo, and Timber Districts to
Vote On Unification
December 24, 1958: Report
Recommends Three Elementary Schools
Unite.
Ultimate goal should be a unified district.
1959
January 21, 1959: Unification in Oxnard
and Conejo. County Committee May Be
Requested to Study Matter
November 19, 1959: Valley Oaks Pupils
to Go To Camarillo.
A unification election for Santa Rosa,
Conejo, and Timber elementary districts
was held. Santa Rosa and Conejo voted to
unify and the new district is Valley Oaks
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1960
January 14, 1960: High School at El
Rio Possible by 1962; $3.75 Million in
High School Bonds Sought.
There will be a bond election May 17,
1960. In addition to El Rio-Mesa possibly
being built, they will buy land for a high
school in Thousand Oaks.
January 28, 1960: High School Board
Sets Bond Election Schedule
They formally set the election for May
17 to build El Rio- Mesa and buy land for
Thousand Oaks.
February 11, 1960: 900 Homes Are
Planned In Newbury Park
These homes on the Casper Borchard land
will impact when a high school in the
Conejo will be built.
Elementary District. The Timber district, in
Newbury Park voted to remain its own
district.Valley Oaks will vote on January
5th to send their students to Moorpark High
or Camarillo High. If they vote for
Moorpark High, the students will still go to
Camarillo for a few years until new
construction is completed at Moorpark
High.
November 19, 1959: Oxnard Union High
School Trustees To Appoint Group.
This is the beginning of a 4 year
discussion to build a junior college south of
the Santa Clara River. Ventura Union does
not want to give up control over Ventura
College by having a countywide system.
OUHSD, with the support of the other high
school districts, says it will build a junior
college if Ventura Union does not agree to
a countywide system. Original discussions
started in 1944.
1960
February 11, 1960: $3.85 Million Bond
Issue Asked For New High School, Two
Sites
The board approved on a first reading the
amount to be asked for in the May
election. .They still believe the fourth
school will be in the El Rio-Mesa area,
but the board wants to purchase a site in
Thousand Oaks also.
February 24, 1960: 1000 Oaks Fights to
Keep Current Zoning: Residents
Object to R-4 Zoning, But to No Avail
Residents went before the County
Planning Commission to the object to the
College Park Development near Olson
Road and Avenida de las Flores and the
development near Erbs Road and La
Granada.. The commission voted
unanimously for the zoning change.
February 25, 1960: 1000 Oaks May Get
Fourth High School: Growing Faster
Than El Rio
Conejo home construction may alter the
district’s decision as to where the fourth
high school will be built. The bond
election will be May 17.
January 2, 1960: School Building
Priority Disputed in 1000 Oaks
Developers and the Valley Oaks School
Board are trying to decide which of 4
elementary schools should be built next.
They will all be needed immediately. Park
Oaks is under construction.
February 10, 1960: Simi Approves
Schools Loan
Voters authorized the school board to apply
for a state building loan of $2 million for
construction of 4 elementary schools in the
next 2 to 3 years. It passed with 88%
approval.
March 1, 1960: Guidance, Not
Obstruction Will Solve County’s
Growth: Unincorporated Areas Lead in
Home Building
May 25, 1960: Small City Proposal Filed
A proposal for a small city in the Conejo
was filed with the county. A larger city
proposal eights miles long including the
communities of Newbury Park and
Thousand Oaks is currently under study.
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March 10,1960: Selection of Site for 4th
High School Off Until Fall
Voters will not know until the fall where
the next high school will be. The OHUSD
wants to see fall enrollment in the
elementary schools before making a final
decision.
March 24, 1960: Voters to Get
Arguments for School Bonds
A brochure is being prepared for voters to
see the reasons why the bond should be
approved. The new school will duplicate
Hueneme High, with a resulting savings in
architectural fees and construction time.
March 28, 1960: $3,850,000 School
Program: Fund Use Outlined, If School
Bonds Passed
James Ackerman, principal of Camarillo
High School, explained to parents how the
money would be spent. He pointed out
that since last April the following
elementary districts have passed bonds for
new construction because of rapid growth
in the area: Conejo, Hueneme, Mesa,
Ocean View, Oxnard, Pleasant Valley,
Rio, Santa Rosa, Somis, and Timber.
May 11, 1960: High School’s Future
Needs
Dr. Joseph Crosby, Superintendent of
OHUSD explains the reasons for passing
the school bonds at an Oxnard Rotary
Club meeting.
May 16, 1960: $3,850,000 High School
Bond Issue on Ballot Tomorrow
May 16,1960: Editorial Approval is
Vital
The Press Courier urges a “Yes” vote on
the bonds.
May 18, 1960: Bonds Pass Over 3-1
The bonds were passed by 78.3%, more
than the 66 2/3% required. They received
a majority vote in every precinct.
July 14, 1960: Timber School Trustees
Face Student Jam
Because 900 home will be built and
occupied by September 1962, the district
will ask voters to approve the trustees
asking the state aid in construction and
equipment for 2 schools. They are working
with a developer to use some unsold houses
as temporary classrooms.
July 14, 1960: Newbury Park Owners
Talk About Zoning
The Chamber of Commerce sponsored a
community discussion of zoning issues in
the Timber School District.
August 17, 1960: Pleasant Valley District
Expects 1,600 Students: 39 Teachers
Return, 23 New Teachers.
The enrollment will be up 27%. They will
be on double sessions, adding new
classrooms, and building an intermediate
school.
August 17, 1960:740 Students
Anticipated at Ocean View
This is a relatively modest increase of 6%,
but new classrooms are under construction
for 1961-1962.
August 17, 1960: Hueneme Elementary
Completes $1 Million Building Program
They have added classrooms, portables,
and are opening E.O.Green Junior High.
Their enrollment is up 18%.
August 17, 1960: Simi District
Enrollment Seen Jumping 25%
They are already engaged in a rush
building program.
August 17, 1960: Moorpark High
Expects Slight Enrollment Drop
They will drop from 350 to 305 in part
because 90 students in the Santa Rosa
Valley will transfer to Camarillo High.
They are building additional classrooms to
accommodate 500 students.
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May 26, 1960: Teacher Pay Raise
Decision Delayed: Won’t Know Until
August 6
Because of the uncertainty of fall student
enrollment the district delayed the
decision. Teachers were unhappy because
they had to sign their individual contracts
by July 1 not knowing what their pay will
be.
August 17, 1960:Valley Oaks Will Add
Two New Schools
Ladera will open in November and
Weathersfield will open in February. There
will be double sessions at Waverly and
Meadows, and classrooms will be added to
Park Oaks.
August 17, 1960: Mesa School Sees
July 14, 1960: Something for Everyone: Enrollment of 270
Trustees Vote Raises , Pick Oaks School This is a slight increase.
Site
A 5.8% pay raise to cover the next 2 years August 17, 1960: Branch School to Serve
was approved. The Board also authorized Casa Conejo Subdivision
negotiations for the purchase of 50 acres
This is a temporary solution for about 75
in Thousand Oaks for the site of the
students until the Timber District builds a
district’s fourth school.
new school in the area next year.
Enrollment in the district will be 250.
October 26, 1960: Planners Reject Oaks
School Site: Purchase Still Expected
August 17, 1960: Lutherans Readying
The County Planning Commission wanted New College
the school further east. OUHSD said they The college building program is
reject that idea and will purchase the land progressing in anticipation of opening the
on Moorpark Road.
school in the fall of 1961. They expect an
.
initial enrollment of 400 students. They
anticipate enrollment will increase by 250
November 10, 1960: Trustees Renew
students a year for the next several years.
Crosby Contract for Four Years
Dr. Joe Crosby was given a raise to
$17,751 a year. The board also approved
paying the Janss Corporation $245,693.45 October 26, 1960; What’s Going On
For 50.5 acres on the west side of
Here? A Lot, As City Grows
Moorpark Road. The state Bureau of
A whole city has been “set up” on
School Planning approved the site despite Moorpark Road with supermarkets and
a negative recommendation by the County new businesses in various parts of town.
Planning Commission.
November 27, 1960: Conejo Valley Park
District Urged To Keep Up With
December 15, 1960: Oxnard Firm
Recreation Needs
Formation of a park district was urged by a
Awarded $748,000School Jobs
Camarillo and Hueneme highs will be
landscape architect appearing before the
expanded. The Viola Company’s bid was Chamber of Commerce. The area has fallen
$368,000 below the architects estimates
far below the minimum recreation space
and $6,000 below the next lowest bid.
because of growth.
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1961
January 12, 1961: Trustees Firm On
College Plan
OUHSD trustees approved preliminary
plans for Thousand Oaks High School.
The plans are from the same basic plans
as Hueneme High School.
February 9, 1961: Four to Seek Reelection On High School Board
Included in the four is Stanley Weiss who
has been appointed to represent Thousand
Oaks.
May 11, 1961: School Budget Hits New
High
The OHUSD budget for next year will be
up 14.5% higher to $4,106,496.
May 25, 1961: High School District
Approves New Program
The program is for Special Education
students.
A person has filed a request with the
County Planning Department that the new
school should be called “Conejo Valley
High School”, not “Thousand Oaks High
School”.
July 27, 1961: Thousand Oaks High
School Job Awarded
Viola Incorporated the contract for
$2,275,000. It was the lowest responsible
bid, but $207,000 over what is budgeted.
Delaying the building of a gym would
save $195,000.
August 24, 1961: Gym Unlikely At New
Oaks High School
The gym could be kept in the plans if the
trustees ask the taxpayers for approval of
a bond issue in the near future.
1961
January 21, 1961: State Aid Set for New
Oaks School.
The Valley Oaks School District has
obtained state aid to build Weathersfield.
Four additional classrooms are almost
ready at Waverly. Students from the
Meadows tract will be moved from Ladera
to Waverly February 13. Notice of
condemnation proceedings to acquire the
land for Colina school has been served.
Colina would be the seventh school in the
district.
February 8, 1961: Conejo City Move
Called Premature
The Janss Corporation, which backs
incorporation of the city, believes there are
unresolved issues with the county that must
be addressed first. Also, they believe there
is not yet enough community feeling in the
Conejo Valley to justify moving forward.
June 6, 1961: Conejo Valley Chronicle
Plans Modern Plant
The newspaper announces plans for a stateof- the art facility on Ventura Boulevard in
Thousand Oaks.
June 6, 1961: Newbury Park Chamber
to Wait and See
There may be talks to merge the Newbury
Park Chamber of Commerce with the
Thousand Oaks Chamber to form a new
Conejo Valley Chamber.
June 29, 1961: Village Water Company
Put Conejo Plans Before PUC
The company wants to purchase three
water companies to provide service for
over 6,000 customers.
August 8, 1961: More School Cash
Needed In Moorpark
The district needs a $500,000 bond and
$1 million loan from the state to build
more classrooms.
5
September 14, 1961: New Oaks High To
Get Gymnasium After All
Dr. Crosby said a bond issue will be
submitted to the voters that will include
money for the gym. He warned that
Camarillo and Hueneme, “Will be
crowded all year” as a result of
unexpectedly high enrollments.
September 28, 1961: High Schools Ask
$6.6 Million, Elementary Schools $4.5
Million
OHUSD and the Oxnard Elementary
School districts need the money to keep
up with growth. The OHUSD needs the
money to complete Thousand Oaks High
and build a new school in 1964 (Rio
Mesa) and 1965 (Channel Islands) to
relieve over crowding at Oxnard High,
Hueneme High, and Camarillo High.
December 28,1961: High School Repair
Job Ok’d
Thousand Oaks High, which is under
construction, needs $25,000 worth of
maintenance equipment.
October 26, 1961: Court Hearing Set on
Junior College Election
High school districts want an election to
form a countywide junior college district..
A hearing will be held November 8, and an
election called for by January 15. This
issue has been discussed since 1944.
November 24, 1961: School Tax Boost
Seen in Moorpark
Because of decreased oil field production,
the tax rate needs to be raised and the
district may have to go on state aid for the
first time.
1962
January 16, 1962: $6,716,000 Bonds Win
Big Majority
The money will be used to buy Ventura
College from the Ventura Union High
School and start a countywide junior
college system.
February 15, 1962: Moorpark School
Tax drive OK’d
The district is asking that the tax rate be
increased from $1.32 per $100 assessed
valuation to $2.25.
1962
March 29, 1962: Tom Roser, Camarillo
Educator, Named Principal of 1000
Oaks High
Tom Roser, 36, had been a Social Science
teacher at Oxnard High and a boys’ vice
principal at Camarillo since it opened. He
is a lieutenant commander in the Naval
Reserves.
September 1, 1962: Meadows School
Water Hassle Ends-Temporarily
There is an ongoing argument over which
water company will supply the water. The
State Public Utilities Commission will
allow Conejo Valley Water Company to
provide water for now, but the water cannot
be used for landscaping or irrigation. The
school is scheduled to open October 24.
April 12, 1962: Oxnard HS Teachers
Ask $250,000 Pay Raise
In the discussion to raise the starting
salaries to $5,902 and top salaries to
$10,945 it is pointed out that TOHS will
need 61 certificated staff.
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May 24, 1962: HS Trustees Want 4
Cent Tax Cut
At the end of this meeting Bill Seaver was
appointed boys counselor at TOHS.
September 12, 1962: Valley Oaks
District Urges Unified Schools in Conejo
The Valley Oaks District wants to join with
the Timber district and Thousand Oaks
High school to form a unified district.. The
August 23, 1962: High School Staffs Get board also sent a letter to 21 sate senators
criticizing the legislature for: “Dictatorship
Salary Raise
Pay will increase 2.5%. Ten classrooms at in setting school policy and removing
the new TOHS will be used by the Valley policy authority from local school boards”.
Oaks School District for 4th through 8th
grades until Meadows is completed.
September 13, 1962: Catholic Girls’
September 8, 1962: Oaks High School
High School Planned in Oaks
The Sisters of Notre Dame have applied to
Dedication Set
The dedication will be tomorrow, Sunday. the county Board of Zoning Adjustments to
The school will open Tuesday, September be allowed to build a high school west of
11.
Janss and Moorpark roads. They intend to
build a college there after the high school is
completed.
September 11, 1962: Temporary
Elementary Classrooms: Oaks High
Packed on Opening Day
The school opened with 826 high school
students and about 300 elementary school
students. By the end of September there
were 895 high school students.
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