Stine Elementary School History

Stine Elementary is the second oldest school in the Panama Buena Vista Union School District. It is named in remembrance of Phillip A. Stine, one of the first men to farm the area which became known as “Kern Island.” Mr. Stine was instrumental in the construction of the Stine Canal, a waterway built to move water from the Kern River to farms located south of the present site of Panama School. The road built along the course of the canal was named after the Stine Canal. 

In 1900, the Stine School District was founded by Manuel Gonzales from parts of the Buena Vista School District, just north of the Panama District. When the Stine School District was formed, it was named for the nearby road. Cecilia Titus Morris was Stine's first teacher with a total of 16 pupils. Unfortunately, in 1914 the one-room schoolhouse burned down. The new Stine School was built on Wilson Road in 1915 where the Italian Heritage Dante Hall now stands. It was placed near the site of the original school.

Although the Stine District extended from Stockdale south to the railroad tracks, the little one-room school was pressed for space and facilities. As far back as 1935, Stine School was felt to be too small and inadequate for the students who attended. The time had come for a change. Stine Board of Trustee member Sing Lum, worked very hard to unify the Stine District with the Panama District. After two years of difficult campaigning, Stine School merged with Panama School to become the Panama Union School District in 1944. Stine School sent 68 students to Panama School during the first year.

In 1952 Stine School was destroyed by an earthquake, necessitating the moving of Stine students to Panama School. Along with its 68 pupils, some of the Stine outbuildings were also moved to Panama School. In 1957, continued growth in the district required, once again, the rebuilding of the present day Stine Elementary School in its current location. The newly built school consisted of 6 classrooms, an administrative office, and a kitchen with Griffin Chapman as its first principal.

Today, Stine is described as a family school that has been the home of multiple generations. Approximately 620 students enroll each year serviced by almost 80 employees. The newly added Viking Ship has also become its signature feature on the playground. We are proud to be a Viking. 

Principals

1957 - 1974 Griffin Chapman

1974 - 1987 Loraine Choy

1987 - 1993 Gene Durrett

1993 - 1996 Jerald Kirkland

1996 - 2007 Tom Irvin

2007 - 2011 Matt Kennedy

2011 -  2014 Paul Coon  

2014 - 2017 Daniel Hansford

2017 - Present Monica Hicks-Stout