About Us

William H. Kelso Elementary (K-6)
809 E. Kelso Street, Inglewood, CA 90301
Phone: 310-680-5480
kelso iusd.net

Kelso is a school centrally located in Inglewood, California, surrounded by a diverse community of residences and businesses. Originally built in 1925 with ten classrooms, a library and a cafeteria, Kelso has grown to 33 classrooms. Portables have encroached on our playground and overtaken our grassy areas. Kelso serves a population of 794 students, ranging from kindergarten through six grade.

More facts about the condition of our school buildings are available in an online supplement to this report called for by the Williams legislation of 2004. What you will find is an assessment of more than a dozen aspects of our buildings: their structural integrity, electrical systems, heating and ventilation systems, and more. The important purpose of this assessment is to determine if our buildings and grounds are safe and in good repair. If anything needs to be repaired, this assessment identifies it and targets a date by which we commit to make those repairs.

The guidelines for this assessment were written by the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) and were brought about by the Williams legislation. You can look at the six-page survey form used for the assessment on the Web site of the OPSC.

In 2005, William H. Kelso Elementary School received two exciting awards—the highly-acclaimed California Distinguished School award and the Title I Academic Achievement award.

The awards come as little surprise for people who know Kelso Elementary School, because it has a longstanding reputation for excellence due to students’ continued outstanding academic achievement. In 2005, Kelso earned an Academic Performance Index (API) score of 832—much higher than the target set for it by the state and the highest API ever achieved in the Inglewood Unified School District. In 2006, Kelso students again carried their school over the 800 mark—for the 8th consecutive year! Authors of research projects, books, and other publications come year after year to study how Kelso students continue to make such exciting gains in mathematics and literacy.

So how does Kelso do it? The answer is by focusing on basic skills. Kelso emphasizes a strong foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics for all students. Student growth is carefully monitored every step of the way, with the goal that all students make one month’s growth for every month enrolled. Kelso uses its reading lab, intervention programs, and specialized tutoring to make sure all students stay on track. Kelso parents and students are encouraged to prepare early for college and career success.

Extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, and service organizations are made possible by partnerships with Inglewood Parks and Recreation, the YMCA, and local churches. Kelso students contribute to their positive school environment through the Peer Mediators program, and students can earn “Kelso Cash” (used to buy books and prizes) for good behavior. Parent volunteerism is strong at Kelso, with room mothers and fathers helping out in every classroom.