School History

Saratoga Elementary School opened on September 5, 1989. Later that day our first principal, Garry L. McClincey, sent a note home to parents stating, “We proudly opened with 866 students, local and county video cameras, and a visit from Dr. Spillane, Fairfax County Public Schools’ Superintendent. We look forward to working with you and your family during this school year.”

Color group photograph, taken in 1992, showing Saratoga’s entire sixth grade class posing in front of the main entrance to the school.
Saratoga Elementary School, 6th Grade Class, 1992

A Sprawling School

Saratoga Elementary School was designed by the architecture firm of Beery, Rio & Associates, and was built by the Patton Harris Rust Construction Company for approximately $8 million. In July 1987, two full years prior to Saratoga’s opening, the Springfield Connection newspaper reported that “the sprawling, two story, 36-classoom school will be called Saratoga Elementary. A special education center is planned for the first floor of the building, including five classrooms, a resource room, art and music labs, and a small gymnasium. Also planned on the first floor are several general education classrooms, a large library, a multi-purpose room, a cafeteria, a theater, and a music room. The second floor will hold general education classrooms, computer rooms, another theater, a speech therapy classroom, and a classroom for the learning disabled.” Originally, Saratoga’s special education center had its own principal, but today that role is delegated to one of Saratoga’s assistant principals.

Two black and white photographs. On the left is a picture of Saratoga’s first principal, Garry McClincey seated at a table with two students. On the right is a picture of Saratoga Center’s first principal, J. Stan Boren, seated in his office.
Garry L. McClincey, Saratoga Principal (1989-1998), and J. Stan Boren, Saratoga Center’s 1st Principal
Photograph of the covers of Saratoga Elementary School first yearbook from 1989-1990 and twenty-fifth anniversary yearbook in 2014-2015. The first yearbook has a plain white cover with a sketch of a stallion, the school mascot, inked in blue, with blue lettering. The anniversary yearbook is student-drawn, with a yellow cover that has a border of red apples, and a blue center with the drawing of a horse and a quote about Smart Stallion Behavior. It reads, speak politely, move quietly, always do your best, respect yourself and others, too, and think before you act.
Saratoga’s 1st and 25th Anniversary Yearbook Covers

Fun Facts

In 1989-90, the cost of a school lunch was $1.25, and a half-pint of milk only cost 35 cents!

Did you know that Saratoga’s School Song was written by students? A competition to craft the school song was held in the spring of 1990, and the winning song was written by Mrs. Mannarino’s 5th Grade Class.

Photograph of the piece of paper on which the original school song was printed. The paper is signed by all the students in Mrs. Mannarino’s class who helped to write the song.
Saratoga’s School Song, Signed by Mrs. Mannarino’s Students
Color Polaroid photograph of the front entrance of Saratoga Elementary School taken in 1990. A group of approximately 23 students are sitting and standing together, waving at the camera.
Saratoga Elementary School, 1990

What's in a Name?

Learn about the origin of our school's name in this video produced for Fairfax County Public Schools’ cable television channel Red Apple 21.

Our Principals 

1989 – 1998: Garry L. McClincey
1998 – 2015: Patricia Conklin
2015 – 2019: Amy Miller
2020 – Present:  Erica Loesch