Dear Families and Community Members,
Each year, I look forward to writing this "Back to School" message, but this year feels especially meaningful. As we prepare to begin the 2025–2026 school year, we are also celebrating something much bigger, 25 years since our community unified to form the Valley Center–Pauma Unified School District. It’s a milestone that deserves more than a quick mention; it deserves a moment of reflection.
I’ve had the privilege of serving as an administrator in this district since the very beginning of unification. I’ve walked these campuses, taught in these classrooms, sat in community meetings, and witnessed firsthand the evolution of our schools. Over the years, I’ve seen the heart, the grit, and the deep sense of pride that define our district. That’s why I wanted to take this opportunity, not just to welcome you back, but to share the story of how we got here.
This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a tribute to the people who built this district, a reminder of where we’ve been, and a reflection of why we do what we do. Our past is full of moments of vision, challenge, resilience, and community spirit, and it’s those very moments that continue to guide us forward.
July 1, 2025, marked the 25th anniversary of our district’s unification. In 2000, Valley Center Elementary and Pauma Elementary came together, and Valley Center High School was purchased from the Escondido Union High School District for $1 million. That purchase didn’t just change a title on paper; it gave our students and families local control, continuity, and a complete K–12 education system in their community.
My journey started even earlier. In 1992, I began teaching and coaching at Orange Glen High School. Back then, Valley Center students were still attending high school in Escondido. The daily bus ride was long and exhausting, especially for students involved in sports or extracurricular activities. For newly licensed teenage drivers, it was often a risky commute.
That began to change when Escondido Unified High School District (EUHSD) passed a bond measure to build a new high school in Valley Center. In the fall of 1997, they hired Ed Loman to lead it. That year, Ed handpicked a team of dedicated educators who shared his vision and heart for the new school, a group he proudly dubbed the “Dream Team.”
Among that founding team were:
Laura Whitten - English /Drama
Joel Vexler -Biology
Dennis Zabinsky - Social Science
Rob Gilster - PE / Head Football Coach
Tom Buck - Social Science / Head Basketball Coach
Marta Mann - Art
Rich Watkins - Science / Football Coach
Don Martin - Agriculture Science / Ag Director
Jerry Fenton - Math / Athletic Director
Bart Schwartz - Driver'd Ed / Photography / Auto Mechanics
Jane Rattman - Dance / Cheer Coach
Mickey Chew - Social Science / Football & Basketball Coach
Jon Petersen - English
Susan Groce - Special Education
Ron McCowan - Science / ASB Director / Football Coach
We were soon joined by even more dedicated staff members from both EUHSD and the local community, many of whom are still working at the high school, like Mike Cummings, Bill Dunckel, Christie Dunckel, and Mickey Chew.
Community spirit was at the heart of those early days. A memorable moment was the joint school auction hosted by the Orange High School Patriots Booster Club and the newly formed Valley Center High School Jaguar Foundation. Two parents, Julie Stroh, now our Board President, and Jolyn Duff, stepped up to lead the charge. They’ve remained involved for nearly three decades, showing the kind of long-term commitment that makes Valley Center–Pauma special.
I’ve learned much of our district’s deeper history from two mentors I was fortunate to work under: Dr. Sara Clayton, our retired Assistant Superintendent, and Dr. Jeff Mulford, our retired Superintendent. I was lucky to be tucked under their wings and to benefit from their wisdom. I’ve also spent hours in our district archives, pouring over newspaper clippings, many written by longtime Valley Roadrunner editor David Ross, whose reporting has preserved so much of our story.
Our school system’s roots run deep. The first recorded schoolhouse in Valley Center was built in 1876, exactly 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The school bell was an oak stick, used both as a pointer and, when rapped against the side of the building by teacher Mrs. Connolly, as a signal that class was beginning.
In 1918, three schools, Vesper, Watkins, and Valley, formed the Valley Center Union School District. By 1920, Mountain View and Victor Schools had joined. The original school on Lilac Road (now our Community Center) burned down in 1919. A replacement, built with state funds, burned again in 1921. Left with limited money, the community came together to build a new brick schoolhouse, working into the evening after long days on their ranches. That building opened in 1923 and shared space with the Farm Bureau to save costs.
Lilac School joined the district in 1947, followed by Bear Valley in 1950. With seven schools now part of the district, it was time to move beyond the original schoolhouse. The County of San Diego gifted land on Cole Grade Road, where a new K–8 school opened in 1948.
And if you’ve ever wondered why the historic schoolhouse is now a community center, here’s the story I was told: In 1962, Poway unified, and Escondido Superintendent Bud Quade hoped to unify remaining local districts. But Valley Center School Board President Bill Hutchings didn’t want to lose local control over the historic site. To prevent that, he transferred the building to the Community Services District. Unification didn’t happen, but the building was never returned.
The original Valley Center Elementary School, built in 1948 on Cole Grade Road, later became Valley Center Middle School Warriors when a new elementary campus was constructed just below it in 1974. That original building has served many roles over the years and today is home to our Independent Study Program, Technology Department, Business Office, Migrant Education, and the Boys & Girls Club.
In front of the current Valley Center Elementary School, you’ll find the original 1876 school bell proudly on display—a tribute to the deep roots of education in our community. Just last year, the school marked its 50th anniversary with a special celebration, featuring its very first principal, Mr. Paul Lahr.
The district continued to grow in response to our expanding community. In 1986, we opened the K–2 Primary School, affectionately known as the “Bee School.” In 1995, the Valley Center Middle School Warriors transitioned to a new campus on Lake Wohlford Road and became the Valley Center Middle School Thunderhawks. By 1998, Valley Center High School opened its doors as part of the Escondido Union High School District (EUHSD), marking a major milestone in the community’s commitment to local secondary education.
But having a high school in town sparked a new conversation: Should we unify and run our schools under one district? In order to form a K–12 unified district, all schools served by the high school’s boundaries had to be included. That meant Pauma School, where students entered VCHS after 8th grade, needed to be part of the plan.
Pauma’s story is just as rich. Founded in 1908, it started as a traveling "Little Red Schoolhouse", a portable building moved by mules depending on where families lived. In 1937, a permanent structure was built, and that building is still in use today.
By the spring of 2000, everything was in place for unification. Staff at the high school were given the choice: stay or return to EUHSD. Only one teacher and one classified employee chose to return. I still remember Dr. Mulford pulling me aside outside the Community Center after a Kiwanis meeting. He thanked me for my dedication to opening VCHS and asked me to stay and help lead the new district. That conversation sealed it for me.
Once unification became official, we got to work: ordering textbooks, furnishing classrooms, and finishing up spaces. There were growing pains, of course, but it was an exciting time, full of hope and momentum. And we’ve kept moving forward.
Since unification, we’ve added Lilac School in 2003 and the Maxine Theater in 2006. As we look ahead, our projections show we won’t need to build new schools for another 10–15 years. However, we will need to invest in renovating and modernizing our current campuses to keep pace with the evolving needs of our students and staff.
So, why write this history now? Because I’ve been part of it since the beginning, and because I believe it’s important that our community knows where we’ve been. The story of VCPUSD is a story of resilience, dedication, and shared purpose. Our schools were not built by luck or by chance; they were built by people (community members, teachers, staff, parents etc.) who cared enough to invest their time, their energy, and their love into something greater than themselves.
As we step into the next 25 years, I hope we carry that same spirit with us. Because our story isn’t over, it’s just getting started.
With pride and gratitude,
Ron McCowan
Superintendent
Valley Center–Pauma Unified School District
Until the last moment, until the last child, we serve, we lead, we grow.