Ferry Farm Elementary School

Welcome to Ferry Farm Elementary School!

In the fall of 1957, Ferry Farm Elementary School opened its doors to 172 students from Ferry Farm, Argyle Heights, Tylerton, and Young's Subdivision. The building consisted of seven classrooms, a library, a teacher's lounge, a principal's office, and a multi-purpose room to be used as both a cafeteria and an auditorium.  Six teachers were assigned the duties of educating pupils in grades one through six.  Mrs. Mabel Jargowsky was named principal and was also given a teaching role.

The growth in the population of Stafford County in the late 50's and early 60's had its effect on the school system, and Ferry Farm Elementary in particular.  Because of a lack of space elsewhere in the county, a seventh grade was added for the 1959-1961 sessions.  Increased enrollment at Ferry Farm necessitated the use of the library as a classroom. In 1961 we returned to a program of six grades, however, in the 1962 - 1963 session the school only offered five grade levels, 1st - 5th grade.  Enrolment pressures had become so great by this time that the county school system undertook the construction of a new classroom building at Fery Farm.

The new addition was ready for use by the fall of 1963.  It offered ten more classrooms, a teacher's lounge, and a basement. Even with the expansion of available space, the stage in the multi-purpose room had to be enclosed so it would be used as a classroom.  The teaching staff increased to include nineteen teachers.  For the first time at the school, Mrs. Jaworsky would now be a full-time principal.  Enrollment increased as the school's boundaries were extended to the King George County line.

Until 1965 the basic curriculum of the school remained unchanged, except for the addition of band, which was offered to fifth and sixth graders, in the 1961 - 62 school year.  The availability of space and federal funds spurred refinement in the curriculum beginning in the 1965-66 school year.  In the fall of 1965, vocal music was offered for the first time.  Also, the cafeteria was moved to the basement of the new building, allowing the multipurpose room to be used as the library.  The potential for expanded and improved library facilities was greatly increased.  In the Spring of 1966, the first Head-Start classes in Stafford County were held at Ferry Farm with a partition being added into the basement for two rooms for the Head-Start quarters.

A full-time secretary and part-time nurse were added to the staff in March 1966 in the demands of a constantly growing and changing school.  With the remodeling of the kitchen in the old building into an art room, a part-time art instructor was hired and art was added to the curriculum in 1966-196.  In the fall of 1967, the school acquired the services of a part-time librarian which became full-time the following year.  In its efforts to acquaint students with the arts, Ferry Farm offered string music to fifth and sixth graders beginning in the fall of 1971.  Two full-time teacher aides were hired for the 1971-72 session and a part-time physical education instructor was added to the staff in the 1972-73 school year.  By making use of these staff members, the teachers were able to direct a great amount of their time to more academic pursuits.

Ferry Farm has tried to keep abreast of innovations in elementary education.  The school adopted the concept of a non-graded primary in the fall of 1967 when first year classes were non-graded.  One class per year was non-graded after that until the first through fourth grades became non-graded.  The faculty first experimented with team teaching during the 1971-72 school year.  At that time, one non-graded fourth year and two non-graded third year classes were instructed by a team of teachers.

For the 1973-74 session, 447 students were enrolled at Ferry Farm.  When the school first opened in 1957, most of the pupils were within walking distance.  Now many of the students had to ride buses to school. The staff grew has now grown to a part-time nurse, nineteen classroom teachers, part-time instructors in art, vocal music, string music, band and physical education, nine teachers aides, two custodians, and three cafeteria workers.  The 1975-76 school year marked the beginning of kindergarten and middle school programs in Stafford County Schools. Ferry Farm had kindergarten and non-graded classes one through fourth year, a Language-Impaired Class and Learning Disabilities Class.  During the 1976-77 school year there were three kindergarten classes, eleven classes on non-graded first through fourth year, an LI class, an LD class, and an ED class. This was Mrs. Jargowsky's last year and she served Ferry Farm Elementary as principal for twenty years from 1957-1977.

For the 1977-78 school year, Evelyn G. Woods was named principal, and the following year she resigned from the position.  Due to the overcrowding conditions at Gayle Middle School, children who were in the fourth grade at Ferry Farm during the 1979-80 school year remained here for their fifth grade year.  Mr. Randall B. Washburn was appointed to succeed Miss Woods as principal.  

The 1981-82 school year saw the return of the K-4 organizational structure.  Two kindergarten, ten sections of graded 1-4, a self-contained LD class and a preschool non-categorical class constituted the instructional staffing of the school.  Staffing remained essentially the same for the next two school years.  Two of the schools's most experienced and respected faculty members, Mamie Wright and Louise Dodd retired at the end of 1981-82 school year.  Both