History

 

Frances W. McClenney Elementary was renamed in 2023.  The school was previously named Ginter Park Elementary School.  

This section of the city was acquired by annexation from Henrico County in 1914. At that time, the 203 children of the neighborhood and their eight teachers were housed in rented quarters at the Lewis Ginter Community House at the corner of Hawthorne & Walton Avenues. Consequently, the need for a city school in Ginter Park was urgent and was met so promptly that the eighteen-room school was occupied in the session of 1916-17. The design included the best "open air school," purely a Richmond development that afforded the maximum amount of comfort in the minimum amount of space. The 1914-15 annual report includes picture and floor plan of Ginter Park by School Architect Charles M. Robinson. 

In 1930, when the original auditorium was converted into eight classrooms, another auditorium was built with cafeteria space beneath. Crowded conditions eventually led to the construction of classrooms in the basement and to the temporary use of Brook Hill for Junior Primary classes (1948). 

Under Plan 3, Ginter Park was paired with Stuart. Since 1973, Mary Scott has been an annex of Ginter Park, under the same administration, until the 2013-2014 school year.  In 1980, Ginter Park/Mary Scott was one of eight elementary school renovation projects. The PTA carried out a "Reach for the Stars" redecorating project in 1988.