A Short History of J. T. Stevens Elementary 

In 1967, when J. T. Stevens, a retired hardware store owner and rancher, heard that the public schools needed property in the Wedgwood addition, he "just happened to have a nice high spot" which he thought the school district could use.  Mr. Stevens donated a total of 72 acres to the Fort Worth school district--of these, 8.5 acres were allocated for J. T. Stevens Elementary School.

Construction began on December 15, 1966, and the new elementary school began classes in September 1967, even as workmen were still installing lockers and completing the final touches on the cafeteria.  That first faculty included Robert H. Jones, Principal, and twenty-two teachers.  Almost 650 students were enrolled; a year later enrollment had grown to 746, helping to alleviate overcrowding at nearby Bruce Shulkey Elementary.

September 2007  marked the fortieth birthday of J. T. Stevens Elementary.  And although faces have changed through the years, one constant has remained: a tradition of excellence. JTS has earned TEA Gold Performance Awards in Writing (2005, 2006), Reading (2006), and Math (2006), and the TBEC Just for the Kids Award in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.  J. T. Stevens Elementary is currently rated a Texas high-performing "Recognized" school.

In 2005, JTS adopted the motto "Stand Proud, Work Hard, Dream Big, Catch the Spirit!" to reflect our continued commitment to make J. T. Stevens Elementary the best school in Texas.