Mattie Lou Maxwell

Our mission at Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary School is to empower students to become successful lifelong learners who are of good character. To fulfill our mission we collaborate, use best practices, model good character and model learning. All students are expected to succeed and the adults of the school do all we can to support that success.

We encourage parents to be involved in their child's education and we provide many opportunities for families to be involved, including: Family Reading Mornings, PTA meetings, School Site Council and English Learner Advisory Council meetings, Movie Nights, the annual PTA Craft Fair, and English Classes.

We have about 770 neighborhood students who come from all over the world. Our students and families represent over 15 languages. We provide daily English Language Development instruction as well as implement a variety of instructional strategies to support students who are acquiring English.

The Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) system is in full effect at Maxwell. We teach students the behavior expectations Respectful, Responsible, Safe and Kind. Students are rewarded for their good choices by receiving Maxwell "Roadrunner" tickets which allow them to participate in a weekly drawing. Expectations are reinforced during semester assemblies where teachers model appropriate behavior for students. Other raffles reward students for not earning any office discipline referrals for the entire month. Maxwell is truly a school where positive behavior is valued and rewarded!

Technology is used to enhance student learning. Every classroom has two to six desktop computers, a projection system and a digital camera. Learning software is used throughout the instructional day. We are also lucky to have two computer labs. In the labs, students work on math software developed by the MIND research institute. They also take part in programs such as Ticket to Read and Read Naturally, both designed to boost achievement in reading. 14 classrooms have been outfitted with SMART Boards, interactive white boards that enhance student learning.

As of November 2012, Maxwell Elementary is also the proud owner of an outdoor hockey rink, the first of its kind in Orange County, courtesy of the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. Students can often be seen at recess taking part in hockey tournaments organized by teachers, or during P.E. periods learning the proper use of hockey equipment, the rules of the game, and taking part in various skill-based hockey drills.

We are grateful for the support we receive from the Maxwell families and community, which allows us to provide a variety of opportunities to our students. We invite you to come visit Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary, home of the Roadrunners!

Maxwell S.C.O.R.E.S. at Honda Center

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Events

"The Ducks S.C.O.R.E. Shootout on May 11th at the Honda Center gave the Maxwell 4th grade students the opportunity to demonstrate their hockey skills learned through the Ducks Street Team, which came to Maxwell to help teach the sport of hockey, with a focus on safety, sportsmanship, and team building."

Maxwell History

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Information

From Magnolia School #1 to Mattie Lou Maxwell

In 1894, James Baker started the first school in the West Anaheim area on a trial basis. The school was housed under a large canvas tent and was located on the corner of Orange and Gilbert. There were only a total of 35 students in grades 1-8.

The next year, in 1895, a School District was formed.

A 2-acre site on the corner of Magnolia and Orange was donated to the district and a 2-story 4-room wooden building was built to house the school in 1896. The wife of a School Board member suggested the name "Magnolia" for the new school.

By 1925, attendance at Magnolia School had greatly increased, and more room was needed in the small wood-framed school. Thus, the old building was sold to Stanton to be used as a school, and a new brick building was erected. This building was state of the art and included modern amenities such as an auditorium and a kitchen used to serve hot lunches. There were a total of five classrooms, a library, and restrooms with showers.

Mattie Lou Maxwell had been a teacher at Magnolia School, but had moved on to become a principal in another district. She returned to Magnolia School #1 in 1929 and became the principal. In the meantime, Magnolia School #1 continued to expand, adding army barracks to a site that had been purchased from Savanna, until they had well over 2300 students. Eventually, the district expanded and other schools were built, including Dr. Jonas Salk Elementary, Dr. Peter Marshall Elementary and Walt Disney Elementary.

In 1957, the old brick building that housed Magnolia School #1 was torn down, as it did not meet current building code. In the same year, Mattie Lou Maxwell retired as principal. This led to the construction of the current facility that you see today, and Magnolia School #1 was renamed Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary.

Former students describe Mattie Lou Maxwell as having high expectations for all, yet being willing to help in every way she could. We aim to continue with her spirit here at Maxwell School.

Maxwell Conservation Club Visits Marine Mammal Center

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Events

On Thursday, May 23 an elite group from Maxwell's Conservation Club visited the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Canyon. They participated in the Pinniped Pollution Project, which provided a real life application to all the conservation tips they had been learning through year through lessons provided by club advisor Jennifer Cornejo. Many of our ocean's mammals become sick or injured because of the trash that ends up in the water. Students did activities that showed how trash ends up in the ocean through watershed, as well as an activity on how they can reduce trash through careful shopping.

Maxwell's Conservation Club celebrates Earth Day!

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Events

On Monday April 22nd, to recognize Earth Day, members of Maxwell's Conservation Club spent their own time during lunch face painting. They offered a choice of different pictures, such as the Earth, a tree, a flower, and a butterfly. Several students who had completed all their homework during the previous week lined up to choose their favorite picture and have their faces painted. Conservation Club members also organized a Read Aloud opportunity for primary classes to listen to an earth-related book, a coin drive for marine mammals, and a campus-wide clean up. Thanks to Mrs. Jennifer Cornejo and her Conservation Club for making the Earth more beautiful!

Magnolia Chooses Teacher of the Year

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Events

Kristin Jones, a fourth grade teacher from Maxwell School has been chosen as the Magnolia School District's Teacher of the Year. For the past five years, Kristin has participated in several curriculum-based programs offered by the Anaheim Ducks. This collaboration eventually led to a street hockey rink being built on the Maxwell campus. "It's not everyday that an organization reaches out to a school the way the Anaheim Ducks have. I am so proud to go on to the county level and showcase the differences that can be made in childrens' lives when communities and schools work together."

Kristin will represent the Magnolia School District in the Orange County Department of Education's 2014 Teacher of the Year selection. Good luck Kristin!

Cooking with Garden Fresh Veggies at Maxwell

Mattie Lou Maxwell - Maxwell Events

The students of the Maxwell Conservation Club have been hard at work watering and taking good care of the vegetables in the garden that the Anaheim Ducks and their awesome volunteers built. We have had several harvests of winter greens: kale, several types of lettuce and fresh herbs like mint, rosemary, and dill. To celebrate the harvest, Mrs. Cornejo and Mr. Garwick and the gardening crew of students from the Conservation Clubs enjoyed an after school cooking class. Students harvested fresh veggies in the morning and used the fresh ingredients to make some kale chips, a fresh lettuce salad with parmesan cheese and a vinaigrette dressing, panko dill-parsley crusted tilapia, and lemon mint agave nectar water drink. The students and teachers really enjoyed eating the fresh veggies we grew. You can download our menu to make some of these recipes at home.