The Vineland School District is situated approximately 16 miles Southeast of the center of Bakersfield, California. The District celebrated its 100th birthday on May 9, 1990 – Vineland being the oldest school district in the area.
Vineland School District has 2 schools that are 1 mile apart. Vineland School, the original school, which sits on 7 acres, houses students in grades K-4 while Sunset School, formerly the Arvin Federal Emergency School, which sits on some 37 acres (only 15 acres comprise the actual campus) houses students in grades 5-8. The Federal Migratory School joined the Vineland School District in 1944.
Located practically next door to Sunset School is the Arvin Farm Labor Supply Center, locally called the Labor Camp, best known as the migrant labor camp “featured” by John Steinbeck in the Grapes of Wrath. This labor camp, which can only be open 180 days a year (by federal regulation), has 120 units and swells the district school population by 50-100 students on April 1 of each year.
The School District encompasses 33 square miles and is rural/agricultural. It is a low socio-economics area and has high transiency rate although 65-70% of the student population stays year round.
Vineland School’s enrollment runs from 490 in the winter months to 540 during the migrant student influx in April. Sunset School’s enrollment runs from 400 in the winter months to 440 during the migrant student influx in April.
The student population is 95% Hispanic with approximately 96% of the students qualifying for free and/or reduced meals. The District has a large number of limited English speaking students and offers English Language Immersion Programs, English Language Development Classes, along with several other specially funded state and federal programs. Vineland and Sunset Schools have a School Based Coordinated Plan at each school. This allows more flexibility in the use of several sources of special funding. Both Vineland and Sunset Schools are participating in the State II/USP and High Priority Schools Program to enhance the teaching and learning programs as a means to increase student academic success. In 1993/94 Lamont and Vineland school Districts formed the Lamont/Weedpatch Neighborhood Partnership to provide coordinated services to our communities. In 1997/98 the Partnership was recognized as one of four best practice partnerships in California.
Vineland’s permanent buildings were constructed from 1952-57, Vineland School having been a one story brick building that came down in the 1952 earthquake. There are also portable classrooms at both sites to accommodate the steady growth over the years.
The bell located at Vineland School was used in 2 early schools to call children to school for more than 60 years.
The Vineland School District has a rich history having had an outstanding “hands on” program at Sunset School in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s that included a school farm, a student/community built swimming pool, several war surplus airplanes for an aviation course, plus much, much more.
Vineland School District is a very pleasant place, the children are well behaved and employees come and stay for a very long time. District parents are very supportive of district educational programs and participate in many district programs including an evening program fund by Migrant Education.
It is a place where a teacher will make an impact on students.
Overall, the Vineland School District is a place where you can make a difference.
We look forward to hearing from you, talking with you and seeing if you would like to become a part of the Vineland experience.