Laurel Lane Elementary School

General information

Rawls Byrd School opened at the beginning of the 1965-66 school year as an elementary school for pupils in grades one through seven. Named for Mr. Rawls Byrd, the retiring Superintendent of Williamsburg-James City County Schools, the "campus" school with round buildings and covered walkways was the locality's first departure from the traditional school design. It was also the first elementary school constructed after the formation of a joint city-county school division in 1953.

Rawls Byrd has experienced many diverse changes over the years. Shortly after opening, it became a primary school for children in grades one through four. In the fall of 1969, the staff began working toward a team approach to teaching and a program of individualized instruction. During the next two years, alterations were made to the classroom buildings to facilitate the academic program and make better use of space.

In 1992, the hard work of the faculty and staff was rewarded when the U.S. Department of Education recognized Rawls Byrd as a Blue Ribbon School. Only two schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia received such an honor that year. Representatives from the school and Central Office were invited to an awards ceremony and a visit with the President of the United States at the White House in May 1993.

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Basic Info.