Saratoga Elementary School

Here follows a history of the school as published on the Fairfax County Public Schools website:

Saratoga Elementary School opened on September 5, 1989. Later that day our first principal, Garry L. McClincey, sent a note home to parents stating, “We proudly opened with 866 students, local and county video cameras, and a visit from Dr. Spillane, Fairfax County Public Schools’ Superintendent. We look forward to working with you and your family during this school year.”

A Sprawling School
Saratoga Elementary School was designed by the architecture firm of Beery, Rio & Associates, and was built by the Patton Harris Rust Construction Company for approximately $8 million. In July 1987, two full years prior to Saratoga’s opening, the Springfield Connection newspaper reported that “the sprawling, two story, 36-classoom school will be called Saratoga Elementary. A special education center is planned for the first floor of the building, including five classrooms, a resource room, art and music labs, and a small gymnasium. Also planned on the first floor are several general education classrooms, a large library, a multi-purpose room, a cafeteria, a theater, and a music room. The second floor will hold general education classrooms, computer rooms, another theater, a speech therapy classroom, and a classroom for the learning disabled.” Originally, Saratoga’s special education center had its own principal, but today that role is delegated to one of Saratoga’s assistant principals.

Garry L. McClincey, Saratoga Principal (1989-1998), and J. Stan Boren, Saratoga Center’s 1st Principal

Fun Facts
In 1989-90, the cost of a school lunch was $1.25, and a half-pint of milk only cost 35 cents!

Did you know that Saratoga’s School Song was written by students? A competition to craft the school song was held in the spring of 1990, and the winning song was written by Mrs. Mannarino’s 5th Grade Class.

What's in a Name?
Learn about the origin of our school's name in this video produced for Fairfax County Public Schools’ cable television channel Red Apple 21:

Saratoga Elementary School opened in September 1989. The school was named for the Saratoga neighborhood, which was given its name by developer Al Van Metre, founder of Van Metre Homes. Mr. Van Metre named many of his developments after important military engagements in United States history.
Saratoga was named for one of the most important American victories during the Revolutionary War. The Saratoga Campaign occurred in 1777, when the British Army sought to gain control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in New York. The British strategy called for an offensive by three separate armies that would converge on Albany, New York, from the north, west, and south. The commander of the northern force, Lieutenant General John Burgoyne, set out from Canada, with an army of approximately 7,500 men. By mid-September 1777, Burgoyne’s army had reached the small village of Saratoga, New York.
He was met by a force of some 8,500 men, commanded by American general Horatio Gates. Two large battles were fought on the same ground at Saratoga, on September 19 and October 7, 1777. The British forces from the south and west never arrived, and, with his army cut off from reinforcements and suffering heavy casualties, Burgoyne surrendered. The decisive victory at Saratoga provided an enormous morale boost to the fledgling United States, and convinced France to join forces with America, which enabled America to win the War of Independence.

Our Principals
1989 – 1998: Garry L. McClincey
1998 – 2015: Patricia Conklin
2015 – 2019: Amy Miller
2020 – Present: Erica Loesch