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History of W.E. Cundiff
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During the 1960's rapid
growth in population in the Vinton area led to overcrowding at East Vinton School (renamed
Herman L. Horn Elementary) and Roland E. Cook Elementary Schools. Therefore a new
elementary school became necessary. Hardy Road Elementary School officially
opened
its doors in August, 1972 with an enrollment of 732 students. The very modern 1.5
million dollar structure is located on a 22 acre tract on Hardy Road, State Route 634.
R. Frank Stone headed
the staff as principal assisted by Deanna W. Gordon and a staff of 50. Over half of
the student population was children new to the area while the remaining students were
drawn from two Vinton area schools. Mr. Stone was principal of Hardy Road until his
retirement in June of 1988. He was succeeded by Martha (Jackie) Glover as principal.
In 1976, Deanna
Gordon was promoted to Elementary Supervisor. She
was succeeded by Lorraine S. Lange. In
January, 1981, Mrs. Lange was assigned principal to Clearbrook Elementary School. Joyce A Camden, then coordinator of Hardy Road’s
third grade, became assistant principal. Miss
Camden (married and became Mrs. Clarke) retired on a medical disability in March, 1987. Margaret R Collier, the reading teacher of Hardy
Road was appointed assistant principal and served in that capacity until June, 1993, at
which time she was appointed principal of Bent Mountain Elementary School. Sherry A. Bryant, the Language Arts Coordinator,
assumed the position of assistant principal in August, 1993.
Martha Glover
retired in 1998 and was succeeded by Sherry Bryant as principal. Alice Hall was named assistant principal. Mrs. Hall retired in 2001. Tammy Riggs was named assistant principal. In 2002 Mrs. Riggs took a position with Botetourt County
schools and Tammy Newcomb was named assistant principal.
Mrs. Newcomb was named principal at Green Valley Elementary in 2004. Mrs. Melissa Jones, then a first grade teacher, was
named Assistant Principal. In 2007, Mrs. Jones
was named principal of Fort Lewis Elementary and Theresa Schmitt became W. E.
Cundiff’s assistant principal.
Enrollment
remained relatively stable from the school opening in 1972 until the sixth grade was added
in 1975. Because of the overcrowded situation
in the Vinton area elementary schools, sixth grade was moved to William Byrd
Junior in
1977. In 1983, the sixth grade was again moved
to Hardy Road School because of overcrowding at William
Byrd Junior. In 1988, the new William Byrd Middle School was
completed and once again the sixth grade was moved to the middle school.
The
Hardy Road
community is a densely populated suburban area.
It is located in the southeast corner of Roanoke
County and includes the southern section of the Town of
Vinton.
Route #24 is the northern boundary, the Bedford
County line is the eastern boundary, and the Roanoke River
and the City of Roanoke
form the southern and western boundaries.
Many of the resident of the community have come from
Roanoke County and
City, but a larger number have also come from other areas of
Virginia and from other states and countries.
In
1989, the Roanoke County School Board voted to change the name of
Hardy Road
Elementary School to
W.
E. Cundiff
Elementary School in honor of Bill Cundiff a
prominent businessman in the Vinton community.
W. E.
Cundiff School
developed business partnerships in 1992 with McDonald’s and One Stop Copy
Shop in Vinton, and a partnership with PFG in 1994.
The business generously sponsored school activities and provided human
resources for students and staff.
In return the staff worked at McDonald’s on Family Fun Night.
The partnership with McDonald’s remains in effect.
The
community’s unique location gives its residents access to unusually large
variety of recreational and cultural facilities.
Roanoke County
and Vinton sponsor teams in football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer
and cheer leading. In addition,
the Town of Vinton
supports a public swimming pool.
There are four parks in the area of the county.
The Vinton
Branch of the Roanoke County Library offers a wide range of services to
children and adults. It
circulates movies, art reproductions and recordings in addition to books,
magazines and periodicals. Other features of the program are
story hours for pre-school children model and craft exhibits, musical
programs, and summer reading activities.
The librarians communicate with the schools to keep the students informed
regarding its program.
The
community’s civic organizations such as Chamber of Commerce, Lion’s Club,
Jaycees, Women’s clubs, Home Demonstrations Clubs, Garden Clubs, D.A.R. and
U.D.D. give education and recreation their support.
They sponsor teams and improve recreational facilities; at one time they
screened children for eye defects and still sponsor children on shopping
trips.
Area
churches offer religions education and recreation.
Their trained specialists give students musical training and instruction. Through the cooperative efforts of
churches and schools, boys and girls are offered a full scouting program.
During
the summer of 1994, an elevator was added to the building to better
serve out preschool and handicapped students and parents.
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