District Spotlight: P-BVUSD Stands Tall After 150 Years

From a one-room schoolhouse serving just 11 students to a thriving district with 26 campuses and nearly 20,000 students, the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (P-BVUSD) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year by looking back at its remarkable legacy and looking forward to a future of growth and progress.

“Thank you for joining us as we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future of education in our community,” said Superintendent Dr. Katie Russell during her remarks at the district’s 150th anniversary celebration.

The story of P-BVUSD began in 1873 when the Panama School District was first organized, becoming operational two years later with the completion of its first schoolhouse – Panama School. In those early years, the teacher doubled as janitor and a cook, water had to be hauled in, and classes were occasionally held in tents or makeshift classrooms on swampland. 

Migrant families steadily moved into the area, drawn by work at nearby cotton fields. The district had to hire more teachers and build new schools to accommodate the increasing enrollment, drawing and redrawing boundary lines with nearby school districts: Stine, Buena Vista, Fairview, and Old River. 

During the 150th anniversary celebration, former Superintendent Doug Miller shared the story of his life growing up on the grounds of Panama School. His father was a custodian, and the family lived on campus. He would walk to school every day and play with all the kids in every grade level. His love for the school never left. As he reached adulthood, he returned to serve the district for 37 years, eventually becoming superintendent. During his tenure, he opened five new schools. 

“I just showed up, did what I needed to do, and somehow they paid me,” he joked. 

Over the years, the district evolved through several key consolidations. First, Panama annexed the Stine School District in 1944, absorbing the students from the smaller district. In 1988, the Buena Vista School District merged with Panama to form the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District, which we know today. 

Only seven superintendents have led P-BVUSD over the past 80 years — a rare mark of stability in education. From Wayne Van Horn, who served from 1945 to 1973 and opened the district’s first junior high, to current Superintendent Katie Russell, who guided the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and has promoted a mindset of relationship building and growth.

“I was very excited. Being the first woman, and the first woman of color in 150 years, it was an honor,” Russell said. I look back at the six superintendents before me, they’ve really chosen people who are committed to Bakersfield and the district, and they took a chance on me.”

Russell says the pandemic was one of the greatest challenges of her career, bringing with it a move to distance learning, a shutdown of major services, and a significant political divide. She says she couldn’t have gotten through it without the help of the school board. 

“It was a scary time. No one had lived through it before; we didn’t know what to do,” Russell explained. “I was so glad I had the board of education. We kept the focus on the students without taking sides.”

Under Russell’s leadership, P-BVUSD has expanded its offerings with new school sites, including Mountain View TK-8 school, which boasts the district’s first dual language immersion (DLI) program. Research shows DLI programs produce high outcomes for students. 

“We’ve really grown into a very diverse community, and with that diversity brings strength,” Russell noted. “It’s important to have our kids leave our school district on the road to bilingualism, so when they graduate high school, they can earn the State Seal of Biliteracy.”

Russell also promotes the TK-8 school model, with two of its schools combining the traditional elementary school and junior high. She said keeping students at one school for longer fosters a close-knit community environment where kids feel safe and supported. 

“We’ve heard from parents that there’s this feeling of supporting the whole child,” she said. “Your kindergarten teacher sees you and interacts with you all the way to eighth grade. It really brings much more of a family feel.” 

Today, P-BVUSD stands as one of Kern County’s leading districts, recognized statewide for academic and extracurricular achievements. The district boasts 21 California Distinguished Schools, 15 PBIS State Award Winners, and nine “Best Communities for Music Education” honors. Every sixth grader attends Camp KEEP at no cost, ensuring access to hands-on learning beyond the classroom.

“That was a big shift in mindset, that these additional supports, like music and Camp Keep, are things we want to continue to invest in,” Russell added. 

P-BVUSD kicked off its sesquicentennial year with a “Back to the Future”-themed gathering in August, welcoming nearly 3,000 employees to celebrate the district’s past and future. The festivities continued on October 9 with a celebration at the Edible Schoolyard, where select staff, partners, and dignitaries came together to honor the district.

Kip Hearron, who served as Superintendent from 2007 to 2013 and opened a school for the district, discussed the formation of the Buena Vista Edible Schoolyard, which hosted the anniversary celebration. The district partnered with Barbara Grimm Marshall and the Grimm Family Education Foundation to create garden and kitchen classrooms, providing students with hands-on learning experiences in agriculture, food science, cuisine, nutrition, and more. 

“Barbara said: ‘We need to get this thing going,’ and she pushed this thing through really quickly,” Hearron said. “We hadn’t had good news for almost four years, and this was really good news.”

Hearron spent time at the ceremony reminiscing with friends and former colleagues about the legacy of P-BVUSD, saying he feels blessed to have been  there to celebrate the anniversary. 

“We’re fortunate to be a part of the past for a school district that has always been and continues to be amazing,” Hearron said.

Performances from the Strolling Strings, the Tevis Junior High Jazz Band, and the Oral Language Festival Champions marked the 150th celebration. Guests took home commemorative keepsakes — a beverage glass and a recipe book provided by the P-BVUSD Foundation — and Superintendent Russell unveiled a framed photo collage showcasing P-BVUSD’s 150-year journey

“Inside the large number 150 is a collage of photos all the way from 1875 to now,” Russell added. “The way it starts in black and white, then goes into color, is just beautiful. We’ll be able to keep this as a memory.”

Russell said even with exponential growth, the district has maintained its small-town, family-oriented identity. Board Trustee Keith Wolaridge, now in his 16th year of service, agreed, saying there’s still a culture of family connection. 

“In some ways we’ve changed, but in some ways we’re still the same,” Wolaridge said. “Trustees come, and trustees go, but the culture of the district is the tie that binds. That’s why we’re here for 150 years, and if God says the same, another 150.”

As P-BVUSD steps into the future, the district commits to promoting growth and sustainability, prioritizing students, honoring its heritage, and continuing its motto of “Excellence in Education.”

“We’re really excited about going forward and doing what we always do: put kids first,” Wolaridge said.

Superintendent Dr. Katie Russell reflects on a photo collage featuring images capturing the district’s history from 1875 to today.

Previous Superintendents Kevin Silberberg (left) and Bill Williams (right) during the P-BVUSD 150 anniversary ceremony.