In August of 1975, children were watching “School House Rock,” reading “Ramona the Brave,” and “Jive Talkin’” with the Bee Gees. Pet rocks and the summer movie hit “Jaws” were all the rage. And in West Jordan, kids were excited to attend their brand new school, Majestic Elementary School, Home of the Monarchs.

Suzette Johnson remembers being a first grader that first year.

 “It was brand new and fun, with great teachers, and just a great environment,” she said. “There were a lot of kids because we were a growing community then--Redwood Road was just two lanes. We were a lot larger because there weren't other schools around.”

The new school replaced West Jordan Elementary, built in 1927 at 7800 S. Redwood Road, which was too small and rundown to accommodate West Jordan’s growing population, which increased 547% between 1970 and 1980.

Johnson attended Majestic Elementary first through sixth grade and then returned as a teacher eight years ago. She is now the instructional coach for the school staff and was a golden resource in helping plan the school’s 50th anniversary celebration held in March.

Majestic Elementary School almost didn’t make it to its 50th birthday. In 2019, the Jordan School District Board of Education was considering closing the school due to low enrollment. However, the school community campaigned to save it and in the fall of 2020, it became Majestic Elementary Arts Academy, an arts-integrated school with arts-endorsed staff members who use the arts to enhance learning. “Bringing the arts in has really added a depth of reaching students in different ways,” Johnson said.

Jeannie Hamilton loves the opportunities her son, a kindergarten student, has to make art at school. “He brings home art,” she said. “He draws every day, so he brings something home every day. I don’t know where to put all of it.” 

The 50th golden celebration of the school was held in conjunction with the annual spring student art showcase. Current students and their families came to admire the artwork which covered nearly every wall, in every hallway and even some of the ceilings. Art pieces representing a wide variety of art mediums illustrated what students had been learning in science, math, history, world culture and art.

“Students loved being able to show their parents what they do daily in our school and why it's so important to integrate the arts,” Majestic’s Culture and Climate Specialist Linzi Pettey said.

The majority of those who attended the celebration were current students and their families. However, many former students, teachers, secretaries and principals also dropped by.

 Majestic Elementary’s first principal, Joe Barfus, (who passed away in 2021 at the age of 99) would have loved to see the 50th celebration, his wife Sally Barfus and daughter Julie Beck said. They attended the open house and reminisced about how much he had loved being a principal there. They said he loved interacting with students whenever he could.

“They loved going to see the principal because he had jelly beans,” Barfus said. “He’d talk to them and then say, ‘Go get a book. I want to hear you read.’”

Beck remembers her dad took every opportunity to drop by the classrooms, which were initially an open classroom design, and that he always wanted to listen to students read.

“He loved to read one-on-one with kids, to help them be successful,” she said.

Former Majestic Elementary principals Kathe Riding (2017-2020) and Cora Jckowski (2005-2011) also dropped by the open house.

Majestic Elementary is known for having a fantastic staff, Jckowski said. “I thought the staff and the teachers were very high quality, that they genuinely cared about their students and they enjoyed teaching them,” she said.

Jckowski was an educator for 39 years and feels lucky to have been part of Majestic Elementary Arts Academy’s golden legacy. “I think back, and it just makes me smile-- or cry out of joy-- just remembering what a treat it is to have the opportunity to help kids grow,” she said.