The history of the Wyomissing Area School District is founded on the rich tradition of three separate school districts that, over a period of time, came together to form the district we know today.
Parallel developments at the turn of the 20th century affected West Reading and Wyomissing in similar fashion, while Wyomissing Hills, which existed only as an independent elementary school district, proceeded at a somewhat different pace. The Wyomissing and West Reading school districts first held classes in 1907; the Wyomissing Hills Independent School District began its program in 1928.
June 1969 was the last time that Wyomissing Area and West Reading graduated separate classes. Forty-seven seniors graduated from West Reading in 1969; one hundred and nineteen graduated from Wyomissing Area.
The Wyomissing Hills Independent School District paid tuition for its students to attend Wyomissing, West Reading, or Wilson during their secondary years. Residents chose which school to attend. Wyomissing and Wyomissing Hills schools merged in 1962 and conducted business under separate school boards and a combined joint board for the Wyomissing Area schools. Wyomissing Area School District became official in 1966.
When Wyomissing Area and West Reading joined hands at the start of the 1969-1970 school year, the grade organization of each school was as follows: Hills Elementary building, grades K-6; Wyomissing Borough Elementary building, grades K-5; West Reading Elementary building, grades K-6; West Reading High School building, grades 7-8; and Wyomissing Area High School building, grades 9-12.
From 1972 to 1983, the middle school organization of grades 5-6-7-8 was housed in the West Reading High School building. In 1983, the middle school was organized for grades 6-7-8, while the Hills building housed grades K-3, and the West Reading Elementary Center housed a kindergarten and grades 4 and 5.
In 1984, the schools were organized as follows: K-3 at Wyomissing Hills, 4-6 at West Reading Elementary, and grades 7-12 at the Junior/Senior High School. In 1989, the present grade organization came into effect: grades K-4 at the Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center; grades 5-6 at the West Reading Elementary Center, and grades 7-12 at the Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School.
The following timeline lists some of the noteworthy events and developments that are part of the history of our District:
The Wyomissing, West Reading, and Wyomissing Hills Independent School Districts timeline, 1907-1969.
1907
Wyomissing School District:
- The first school sessions for the Wyomissing School District are held at a private at a private residence at 930 Hill Avenue.
West Reading School District:
- The first school sessions for the West Reading School District area held at the corner of 5th and Chestnut streets.
1908
Wyomissing School District:
- The first Wyomissing school building opens at the corner of Belmont and Trent Avenues for grades 1-11. Seniors attended Reading High School.
West Reading School District:
- Sessions for grades 7 and 8 in the West Reading School District are held in a private home on the corner of 5th and Franklin streets.
1914
West Reading School District:
- A new West Reading High School is built on the corner of 4th and Franklin streets.
1923
Wyomissing School District:
- A new Wyomissing High School is built on Wyomissing Boulevard between Garfield and Cleveland Avenues. The building later became the elementary school.
West Reading School District:
- An auditorium and a gymnasium are added to the high school.
1926
West Reading School District:
- Final construction of the east and west classroom wings and a library are completed at the high school.
1927
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- The borough of Wyomissing Hills is officially incorporated.
1928
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- The Wyomissing Hills Independent School District holds grade school classes at the Sunshine School, a private home at 1807 Penn Avenue. Secondary students attend Wyomissing, West Reading, or Wilson.
1932
Wyomissing School District:
- A new athletic field is dedicated at Girard and Evans Avenues.
1933
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- The district moves classes to the Hillside School, which later becomes the borough hall.
1934
Wyomissing School District:
- A new field house and pavilion are built at the athletic field.
1939
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- Wyomissing Hills students in grades 1-4 continue attending the Hillside School, while fifth-grade students attend the Wyomissing School on Wyomissing Boulevard and sixth-grade students attend the Wyomissing Elementary School at Trent and Belmont Avenues.
1940
Wyomissing School District:
- A new Wyomissing High School is built on Evans Avenue.
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- Wyomissing Hills students in grades 5 and 6 attend the Wyomissing School on Wyomissing Boulevard.
1953
West Reading School District:
- The new West Reading Elementary Building is built on the northwest corner of 4th and Chestnut streets.
1958
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- The new Wyomissing Hills Elementary School is built.
1962
- The Wyomissing and Wyomissing Hills districts merge.
1965
Wyomisssing School District:
- Wyomissing High School is expanded to include new classrooms, science labs, offices, music suite, home economics suite, and cafeteria.
1966
Wyomissing Hills Independent School District:
- The Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center is expanded by 10 rooms and a library.
Wyomissing Area School District:
- The Wyomissing Area School District becomes official.
1968
Wyomissing Area School District:
- The West Reading and Wyomissing Area districts merge athletic programs.
1969
Wyomissing Area School District:
- The West Reading and Wyomissing school districts completely merge into the Wyomissing Area School
The Wyomissing Area School District timeline, 1972 - Present.
1972
A middle school for grades 5-8 is established in the West Reading High School building.
1983
The West Reading High School building houses the middle school with grades 6,7, and 8. Grades K-3 are housed in the Wyomissing Hills building, with grades K, 4, and 5 in the West Reading Elementary building.
1984
The Wyomissing Borough building is razed. The junior/senior high school, with grades 7-12, is organized.
1985
The West Reading High School building is sold.
1986
A new athletic complex is opened along Cambridge Avenue.
1989
The Wyomissing Hills Elementary School is expanded and renovated.
1994
Renovation of the Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School is finished.
2002
A new field house adjacent to the "A" field is dedicated.
2004
Expansion and renovation of the Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center are finished.
2006
Expansion and renovation of the Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School is finished.
2011
Renovation of West Reading Elementary Center is complete.
2023
The Wyomissing Area "A" field is dedicated head football coach, Bob Wolfrum, and renamed "Bob Wolfrum Field."
Renovation of the Wyomissing Area Jr/SR High School is completed.
Expansion and renovation of the Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center is completed.