Our Story
Mary & John Adams
Founders
Mary & John Adams
Founders
Mary and John Adams founded White Rock North School in 1964. What is now known as the Corner Cottage was the original schoolhouse that housed our inaugural Kindergarten class of twelve students.
From the beginning, the school’s purpose has been to teach the way each child learns, and to stay true to traditional educational principles. The Adams’ goal was to provide a challenging academic curriculum while also bolstering each student’s self-image. From these hopes came the school’s first motto: “Learning today. Leading tomorrow.”
Through the years, White Rock North has expanded one small project at a time. One of the first projects was the addition of the original Main Building, and the acquisition of the school’s unique mascot, a horse named Gypsy! To that, they added a large swimming pool, because they believed that swimming lessons and classes would greatly benefit the students. In 1978, they also added a full-service roller-skating rink, complete with skates and a disco ball. The arena is also a multi-function space that serves as the school gym, performance hall, and much more!
In 1979, the original Main Building was destroyed in a fire. The Adams’ immediately began reconstruction where the current Main Building stands. Over the years, the school continued to grow in both size and enrollment. After receiving its accreditation in 1996, Mr. and Mrs. Adams began building the Grade School Building, strictly for students in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade. This project took a year-and-a-half to complete, and the new addition opened in 1998.
Over the next several years, Mr. and Mrs. Adams noticed that visits from new mothers were becoming more frequent. They began conceptualizing an infant program to serve the needs of the many young families in the area. They transitioned the original schoolhouse into an infant center that is now known as the “Corner Cottage” that opened in 2003.
White Rock North School has proudly educated thousands of children since it opened. Many of these children have also enrolled their children, and later grandchildren, at White Rock North School. We are proud of the legacy left by Mary and John, and that so many alumni want to give their children the same unique experiences.
Sadly, John Adams passed away in 2008, and Mary Adams followed in 2017. We remember them fondly and are proud of our new mission, “Educating the leaders of tomorrow.”
