Weathersfield School Marks Its 35th Year

It was a year before Martin Luther King Jr.’s seminal “I have a dream “ speech. Frankie Avalon topped the charts. Polyester bell-bottoms were groovy. And Weathersfield Elementary opened its doors to 300 students.

Today, the Thousand Oaks school marks its 35th birthday with an afternoon bash, 15 cakes and remembrances of 1962--the school’s first year.

About 700 people--current and former students, teachers, parents and school district brass among them--are expected to attend the celebration, PTA President Patti Yomantas said.

“We’ve invited back as many alumni as we could find,” said Yomantas, mother of two Weathersfield students.

“Interestingly, many of our current parents were once students here.”

About one-third of the parents on the school’s PTA Council--Yomantas not among them--are Weathersfield graduates, she said.

But the celebration won’t be all balloons and sticky frosting.

There will be a dose of history too as grown-ups tell Weathersfield’s present 560 students of the school’s opening, in terms that the 5- through 11-year-old students can understand.

They will get a quick lesson in pop culture of three decades ago, looking at a display of old yearbooks and school memorabilia.

“Those who were around in 1962 will be a little nostalgic,” Yomantas said. “And it’ll be interesting for the kids.”

Festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. at the school, 3151 Darlington Drive.