Bolton School's Long and Impressive Background

Bolton School Today offers pre-school through Grade 8. It is located in the Fairfax neighborhood at 9803 Quebec Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Phone number: (216) 231-2585.

A visitor to Bolton School can observe a school composed of small learning communities, organized heterogeneously by grade, with special education student integrated along with self-contained classrooms during the operating hours of 9:20 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. There are two floors. On the first floor, Pre-K through first grade with a media center. The art, music and physical education programs and facilities are also located on this floor. The main entrance to the school opens to the newly carpeted, well-organized Media center, which demonstrates the dedication to literacy. On either side of the Media center is an outdoor courtyard, which enable peaceful learning experiences in science, literature and other content area.

The instructional program for the school is standards-based and ensures that all students reach high standards of excellence. The students at Bolton School begin their exposure to print in the on-site preschool / child development program and are “reading ready” as they enter kindergarten. Kindergarten through eighth grade students are seen working in small, flexible, cooperative groups driven by data received from standards-based assessments.

The entire school community is focused on improving literacy skills and implementing ELA Standards throughout the curriculum. Language arts are also incorporated into each subject area by all special subject teachers, such as in music, art, library and physical education. Students at Bolton School are inspired and excited about learning and will become competent lifelong learners and will develop individual talents, as well as personal integrity by making positive life choices.

In July 1970, to celebrate the ground breaking for Bolton Elementary School, Paul W. Briggs - then Superintendent of Cleveland Public Schools - wrote the following:

“The new Bolton Elementary School is another member of the family of fine schools in Cleveland. It replaces the present 112-year-old building located on the corner of East 89th Street and Carnegie Avenue.

“The architects have designed this school to create a pleasant educational environment. Opening into a central garden area, the classrooms and library offer an exciting arena for learning. These facilities, augmented by a multi-purpose room, team-teaching, and other special areas will make the new Bolton one of Cleveland’s most modern schools.”

A Great Bolton Story from the Past

James Cleveland Owens was born on September 12, 1913 in Oakville, Alabama. Nicknamed JC he had 6 brothers and 3 sisters. JC's older sister Lillie moved to the industrial North, Cleveland, Ohio and found work which paid a decent wage and she begged her family to follow. At the age of 10 JC and his family took up Lillie's advice and moved to Cleveland.

All of the children dropped out of school, except for Jesse, who started all over at Bolton Elementary School, though he had attended school in Oakville before the move. It was there, the story goes, that one of his teachers, misinterpreting how he pronounced "J.C." because of his southern accent, started calling him "Jesse." The name stuck.

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