About
Construction of Cubberley Elementary was completed in 1953, servicing students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Cubberley became a K-5 school during the 1990-91 school year, when sixth grade was added to the middle schools (formerly known as junior highs).
Cubberley Elementary School began the conversion to a K-8 school in the 1994-95 school year, with the addition of sixth grade. The transition was complete in the 1996-97 school year, with the first 8th grade graduation ceremony taking place in June, 1997.
Cubberley has been recognized as a California Distinguished School in 1995, 2004, and 2008.
Cubberley became the leader of the pack when the school notably became the first National Blue Ribbon School in the Long Beach Unified School District in 1997.
Cubberley continues to evolve and improve with time. In 2002, Cubberley began a GATE program, replacing the Excel program of previous years. The GATE program provides the depth and complexity on which gifted students thrive.
With the assistance of our energetic and creative faculty, supportive staff, involved parents/families and exceptional students, the future holds no limits for Cubberley K-8 School.
Ellwood Patterson Cubberley (1868-1941) was an American educator, who began his career in education in a one room Indiana schoolhouse.
A pioneer in the field of education, he was instrumental in the development of the profession of school administration in the United States.
Cubberley studied at Indiana and Columbia universities and taught at Harvard University. Before joining Stanford University, he served as the Superintendent of Schools in San Diego, California. At Stanford, he accepted a position as professor of education from 1898 – 1917. He was appointed to Dean of the School of Education in 1917 and served until 1933.
In his first year at Stanford, Cubberley traveled 7,700 miles and delivered 77 lectures. The theme of his lectures touted the importance of higher education to educators.
Cubberley emphasized good teaching methods and insisted that Stanford faculty develop materials to teach, know what was being taught elsewhere in their specific fields and provide educational leadership within their department.