Our School: Past & Present
Our School: Past & Present
Our school is named after John M. Grasse, a highly respected local educator who served as a teacher, Hilltown/Deep Run Valley Supervising Principal, and the first principal of Pennridge High School. A native of Hilltown Township, Mr. Grasse spent 41 years in education. Among his achievements, Mr. Grasse hired the first music teacher and created the first cafeteria in the area. His memory and educational philosophy continue with the annual academic awards given to Grasse students for academic excellence. These Grasse Merit Awards are funded through a trust fund he established in 1984.
The John M. Grasse Elementary School opened in 1963. The original building housed twelve classrooms, a music room, a library, and an all-purpose room, on 16 beautiful acres in Hilltown Township. It cost $930,000 to build in 1963. In 1971 eight additional classrooms were added, becoming known as “The Pod”, and a gymnasium was built in 2001.
Today Grasse is a K-5 school with about 400 wonderful students, an involved PTO, and an incredibly dedicated staff. We work together as a community to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development.