AES History
Antelope Elementary School is a small k-8 elementary school located in the Antelope Valley in Northern Mono County 13 miles south of the Nevada border. The school has an enrollment of approximately 135 students and is one of four elementary school sites in the Eastern Sierra Unified School District. The closest elementary school within the district is approximately 45 miles south in Bridgeport, California.
The Eastern Sierra Unified School District is composed of four elementary schools, two comprehensive high schools, two 9-12 grade "academies" and one continuation school. The total enrollment for the district is approximately 522 students. The district covers an area of approximately 3000 square miles and lies totally within Mono County. The area has a rich historical legacy beginning in 1846 when John C. Fremont and his soldiers spent part of the winter in the Valley. They found grass for their stock and plenty of antelope to eat and were befriended by the local Indian tribe. Later, parties of immigrants came through and established the Old Immigrant Trail by Sonora Pass. Some of these people stayed to settle the Valley and establish ranches to supply beef to the mining centers in the Comstock district and to the mining towns of Bodie and Aurora. In those days, freight traveled by wagon between Bodie and Carson City establishing an important north-south corridor along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which still exists today in the form of Highway 395.
Today, Antelope Valley and nearby areas serve as important tourism gateways into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Much of our economy is rooted in ranching and farming, but the largest portion of it supports the tourism industry with motels, restaurants, and even a pack station at Leavitt Meadows. In 1953, the United States Marine Corp established the Mountain Warfare Training Center at Pickle Meadows twenty-four miles south of Antelope Valley. The Department of Defense also built housing for military families one mile north of our schools in Coleville. We also have a Native American community in the Valley located in Walker at Camp Antelope.
In addition, the town of Bridgeport, 35 miles south, is the county seat of Mono County. Our unique school enjoys a very low turn over in all staff and faculty. Thus our student enrollment benefits from exceptional consistency and continuity from year to year. Many of our employees were raised in Antelope Valley and attended our very school. These employees are highly devoted and loyal to each other, our students as well as our school. We have been very fortunate to have established a family atmosphere throughout our school community. Students, staff and parents are all highly supportive of each other in and among themselves. We value learning, responsibility, school environment, respect and involvement.
We are committed to a rigorous and challenging curriculum which is enriched with cultural and geographical experiences. Our staff is highly motivated to ensure each student shows growth academically, emotionally, physically and socially each year.