Joshua Cowell School — one of two elementary campuses named after Manteca pioneers — is two months into its 30th year.

And to mark the occasion, a celebration is taking place Friday during a 7:40 a.m.  school assembly.

The campus is named after Joshua Cowell, the man who established the Manteca townsite.

The other Manteca school honoring a pioneer is Walter Woodward. He was instrumental in establishing the South San Joaquin Irrigation District.

Woodward Reservoir, Woodward Avenue where he once lived and Woodward Park are also named in his honor.

The only other thing named after Cowell is Cowell Avenue. It’s the first street in Powers Tract as you head west on Moffat Boulevard from Spreckels Avenue.

Cowell School — the first in-city elementary campus located east of Highway 99 — sat empty for a year after it was completed.

It was the result of the recession in the early 1990s stalling Manteca growth.

In order to finally open the school, Manteca Unified decided to close the Yosemite School that today houses the district’s online academy at the campus on West Yosemite Avenue.

The district adjusted attendance boundaries to fill the school that today has 701 students.

Harriet Myrick was transferred from being the Yosemite School principal to open Cowell as its first principal.

She served as principal from 1994 to her retirement in 2010.

Stacy Valencia has led the school’s administrative team since July 2021.

Previous principals besides Myrick included Bonnie Bennett and Christie Newman.  

In the coming year or so, several Measure A bond projects will take place at the campus on Pestana Avenue.

They include a new multi-purpose room, new shade structures, a new solar battery building, modernization of the current administration building and cafeteria, replacement of the school’s fire alarm and clock/speaker systems, asphalt replacement in the playgrounds and parking lot, and landscape improvements.

Joshua Cowell Elementary School is known for its tight-knit, family-like atmosphere.

Many staff members, including teacher Jerri Brown, who has been at the school since it opened, and long-serving educators like Marlies Liebelt, Manuel Perry, and Office Manager Darcie Boulter, have dedicated decades to supporting the school community.

With alumni returning as staff or enrolling their own children, the school’s strong, family connections continue to thrive.

 Cowell is one of 20 elementary schools in Manteca Unified.
When counting site annexes — Lathrop and McParland —there are 22 elementary campuses.

Manteca Unified also has five comprehensive high schools and two alternative high school campuses.

The district serves almost 25,500 students.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com