School History

Elizabeth Tynan Elementary School was built in 1932 as a result of a petition circulated by the residents of Houston Heights expressing the need for a school on the East Side of the City.   The school was named for a teacher and principal in the San Antonio Independent School District whose career spanned 23 years.  Elizabeth Tynan was known for her teaching ability, for promoting health education and for establishing the first cafeteria in a public school.  She was also respected for her charitable work in the community.

A formal opening of the school was held March 24, 1932 in memory of Miss Elizabeth Tynan.  There were 60 students enrolled in the new school.  Jack Boeck, who was the first child to enroll in the first grade on the opening day 1932, asked for and was granted the privilege of furnishing a tree each year for Christmas.  This was done for many years.

Tynan School was a one story building with only four classrooms, an office, two rest rooms, and a furnace room.  In 1946, a one-room frame building was places on the grounds and remodeled for a classroom.  In 1948, another one-room frame building was brought to the school and converted into a classroom.  In the spring of 1949, four new classrooms were completed as an addition to the main building on the west.  In the spring of 1950, the building committee office approved additional classrooms.  In 1956, a cafeteria was added on the west side of the main building.  In 1961, an addition was made to the cafeteria and a new wing, eight new rooms, was opened on the east side of the building.  The wooden building was removed from the grounds.  In February 1966, two buildings, built under the federal education program, were placed on the east grounds; each building contained two classrooms.

In January 2000, construction began to include an eight classroom addition, a library, fine arts classroom, clinic and gym.  Internal renovations saw the addition of a counselor’s office and speech therapy room.