Springfield Elementary School

Springfield Elementary School is an elementary school that Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson, and many other children of Springfield, such as Nelson Muntz, Janey Powell, Sherri and Terri. Jimbo Jones, Martin Prince, Ralph Wiggum, and Milhouse Van Houten attend.

It is managed by Principal Seymour Skinner, who is overseen by district superintendent is Gary Chalmers, who often visits the school for routine inspections that go disastrously awry. The school's mascot is a purple puma, of which there is a statue inside the school.^[1]^[2] The school's address is 19 Plympton Street, Springfield, USA.^[3] although its address is also believe to be Bart Boulevard.^[4]

History[]

According to Superintendent Chalmers in "Lisa Gets an "A"", Springfield Elementary was "once classified the most dilapidated [school] in all of Missouri." It was then shut down, transported to Springfield, and rebuilt brick by brick.

In "The Yellow Badge of Cowardge", during Field Day on the last day of school, Chalmers announces that the students will be competing in the 79th annual Race Around the School. This means the school was established 1910 or earlier, if starting the Simpsons timeline in 1989.

A real-life American School Building Standards blueprint of a 1910 elementary school closely matches the exterior of Springfield Elementary.^[5]

According to a Chalmskinn Productions documentary, Springfield Elementary was "originally designed as a storage facility for salt pork", after which it "at some later point" became a school. The color footage of the school's construction appears to be from the 1960s-1980s.^[6]

Profile[]

Springfield Elementary is two stories high with a gym and cafeteria. The basement includes a steam tunnel. In earlier episodes such as seasons 1-5, there is somewhat of a steeple on top of the school roof. The floor plan is identical to that of West Springfield Elementary School. Springfield Elementary School is also based on McCarthy Middle School.

There is a field trip memorial that shows the names of the students who never came back from a field trip.^[7] Groundskeeper Willie constantly has to edit the wall, and is very upset when he must engrave the name of a student with a long name.

In "At Long Last Leave", it's mentioned that the school sneaks the kids answers to state tests, yet they still fail.

School President[]

Todd Flanders (2020-present)
Jimbo Jones (2013–2020)
Ralph Wiggum (2012–2013)
Bart Simpson (2010-2012)
Lisa Simpson (2007–2010)
Martin Prince (2005–2007)
Milhouse Van Houten (2004–2005)
Otto Mann (unknown dates)
Hershel Krustofsky (unknown dates)

Dates listed correspond to the years the episodes were broadcast in, rather than a year that the episode was known to take place in.

School Principal[]

*Seymour Skinner (real) is temporarily the principal in The Principal and the Pauper, but this is considered non-canon.

School Superintendent[]

Gary Chalmers, Superintendent of Schools

Condition[]

Springfield Elementary is heavily underfunded. With almost constant reductions in the budget the school has been forced to use rather bizarre methods to make up for the lack of funding, such as being turned into a half-prison, half-school for the duration of one episode. In addition, the school doesn't have disability ramps as the costs would be too big, forcing them to paid for and built by the mob.

It has been stated many times that the school is filled with asbestos. Underfunding of the school has resulted in a variety of troubling scenarios for students and staff. Sub-standard facilities abound, including a cinder block having replaced the school's tetherball. Its periodic table was once said to contain only sixteen elements (all lanthanides), and another time was seen to merely contain advertisements for bologna. A few times, Principal Skinner has been seen resorting to stealing products in order to function. Cafeteria food in particular is low quality, with food being made from circus animals, cow testicles and hearts, shredded newspaper, and old gym mats. Specific objects served include a cheap substitute for Milk called Malk, French fries not made of potatoes with the exception from the fries eaten by the teachers, rat milk, and gravy that is merely water dyed brown, among others, and it at least sometimes fails to provide vegetarian options. It was revealed that Springfield Elementary was at one time voted The Most Dilapidated School in Missouri and was then moved, brick-by-brick, to Springfield.^[8] The school is overcrowded because of insufficient funds to build more classrooms.

In addition, the teachers are less than average, known for their lack of ability to teach in one instance they are shown to be unable to teach without answer keys. They are also often seen smoking and drinking within the school premises. Edna Krabappel frequently brings up aspects of her personal life that would be considered unsuitable for elementary school classes, and at one point even managed to sleep on the job due to a hangover that she presumably got the previous day. Lunchlady Doris was forced to use grade F meat. In addition, Elizabeth Hoover has shown herself to be very cynical about her students, even openly telling Ralph Wiggum that the latter deserves to be mocked, and was diagnosed as psychosomatic. In one instance, she also had Ralph sub for her while she just reads in the background, despite Ralph obviously being unqualified for teaching and simply making a random remark before jumping out of the window.

Before Bart came to the school and before Lisa was born, the school had a swimming pool and Groundskeeper Willie was the swim coach. Skinner took the pool out when he spent an entire weekend inside it, among lots of worms, which made him what he is today. This was a prank made by Andy Hamilton, a former student of the school.^[9]

The school was once shown to have a tower with a winding staircase inside, which led to a fortification area, a feature that has not appeared since.^[10] Other short period additions include a disabled ramp access system constructed by local mafia funding which collapsed shortly thereafter without it ever being used as the student who acted as the reason for building it, Bart Simpson, who was confined to a wheelchair after an accident, had recovered earlier than expected, and was also revealed to have been made out of breadsticks which later forced the school to almost close completely until a toy company bought it. The auditorium was once bulldozed to make way for a mini-mall.

Springfield Elementary was partially converted to a prison to support funds.^[11]

The school's address is 19 Plympton Street.^[12] When Springfield underwent an economic crisis, Springfield Elementary, as a result of the cutbacks from the slump, significantly shortened the school day to no school at all.

At one time, an oil well was accidentally discovered beneath the school by Groundskeeper Willie while burying Superdude the hamster, which lead Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers to welcome everyone's ideas of how to spend the money, while some ideas were considered ridiculous. Mr. Burns then began to steal the oil from the school, which not only resulted in the loss of their fortune, but the cost of deconstructing the oil platform above the school placed it in a far worse financial state than before, forcing Skinner to get rid of nearly everything in the school. Burns was shot later. It was believed that Skinner was the one who shot him, supported by his going to the bathroom. However, while he did intend to ambush Burns and kill him, he was not the one who shot him, as he had mixed up his camouflage face paint with his mother's makeup while attempting to put camouflage on when it happened, with Chalmers stumbling upon this and thus being able to vouch for Skinner. Similarly, the staff members, more specifically, Groundskeeper Willie and Tito Puente ended up losing their jobs because of the aforementioned severe decrease in the school's financial state from Burns's actions, with both also planning revenge on Burns. Groundskeeper Willie planned to murder Burns and at least initially wound Waylon Smithers (believing that he was responsible for the acts of his employer as well, and likewise was also a suspect to the shooting, although Willie was cleared as a suspect when it was revealed that, thanks to his playing Space Invaders for an implied long time, he developed arthritis in key areas of his hand, meaning he couldn't have shot Burns, while Tito Puente planned to seek revenge on Mr. Burns by making a very unsavory (and catchy, as Wiggum noted) song about him, even murdering the star would be too kind for him, resulting in Puente being cleared as a suspect as well.

The school library was frequently used by the students, although adults who weren't faculty members frequently used the library as well, a notable example being Homer Simpson, who had to use the student library due to the public big people's library in downtown Springfield banning him from the premises due to unpleasantness, and used it to research Thomas Edison to inspire himself to invent new objects.

It is surprising that the school has managed to stay open with all the problems it has. It was also one of the few landmarks that wasn't destroyed during Trappuccino, much to Bart's disappointment because it was summer and no children of Springfield have gone to school. It has also been confirmed in "500 Keys" that there is a hidden classroom, but only for the use of dummies so the school can get publicity.

Faculty[]

Main article: List of Springfield Elementary Faculty Members

Current and Former Students[]

Main article: List of Springfield Elementary School Students

Behind the Laughter[]

In the opening credits the school is featured with Bart writing lines on a blackboard, which is one of the infamous show gags. The school's design and apparent floor plan is identical to Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon.

Name of South Carolina school[]

In 1994, the naming of a new elementary school in Greenwood, South Carolina was left up to the students, and the name Springfield Elementary was chosen. The school board was unaware of the connection to The Simpsons until a protest by one group of parents. The name stuck and the school was opened in 1994. A FOX press release responding to the controversy quoted Bart as saying "At least they didn't call it Beavis and Butt-head Elementary." Later that year, the situation was alluded to in Lisa on Ice, with Principal Skinner regretting allowing the students to name a school building the Butthead Memorial Auditorium.

Gallery[]

Springfield Elementary School Tapped Out

The full image gallery for Springfield Elementary School may be viewed at Springfield Elementary School/Gallery.

Appearances[]

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Episode – "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"
Episode – "Bart the Genius"
Episode – "Homer's Odyssey"
Episode – "Bart the General"
Episode – "Moaning Lisa"
Episode – "Homer's Night Out"
Episode – "The Crepes of Wrath"
Episode – "Bart Gets an "F""
Episode – "Dancin' Homer"
Episode – "Bart the Daredevil"
Episode – "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
Episode – "Principal Charming"
Episode – "Lisa's Substitute"
Episode – "Bart the Murderer"
Episode – "Homer Defined"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror II"
Episode – "Lisa's Pony"
Episode – "Flaming Moe's"
Episode – "Lisa the Greek"
Episode – "Homer Alone"
Episode – "Bart the Lover"
Episode – "Separate Vocations"
Episode – "Dog of Death"
Episode – "Bart's Friend Falls in Love"
Episode – "The Otto Show"
Episode – "Kamp Krusty"
Episode – "Lisa the Beauty Queen"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror III" (Dial "Z" for Zombies)
Episode – "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie"
Episode – "New Kid on the Block" (flashback)
Episode – "Mr. Plow"
Episode – "Marge vs. the Monorail"
Episode – "Brother from the Same Planet"
Episode – "I Love Lisa"
Episode – "Duffless"
Episode – "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" (referenced in flashback)
Episode – "The Front"
Episode – "Whacking Day"
Episode – "Marge in Chains"
Episode – "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (flashback)
Episode – "Cape Feare"
Episode – "Rosebud"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror IV" ("Terror at 5½ Feet"; mentioned in wraparounds)
Episode – "Bart's Inner Child"
Episode – "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"
Episode – "The Last Temptation of Homer"
Episode – "Bart Gets Famous"
Episode – "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song"
Episode – "The Boy Who Knew Too Much"
Episode – "Bart of Darkness"
Episode – "Lisa's Rival"
Episode – "Sideshow Bob Roberts"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror V"
Episode – "Homer the Great"
Episode – "Homer vs. Patty and Selma"
Episode – "The PTA Disbands"
Episode – "Lemon of Troy"
Episode – "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)"
Episode – "Radioactive Man"
Episode – "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"
Episode – "Lisa the Vegetarian"
Episode – "Treehouse of Horror VI"
Episode – "Team Homer"
Episode – "Lisa the Iconoclast"
Episode – "Bart on the Road"
Episode – "Summer of 4 Ft. 2"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror VII"
Episode – "Grade School Confidential"
Episode – "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment"
Episode – "The Principal and the Pauper"
Episode – "Lisa's Sax"
Episode – "Lisa the Skeptic"
Episode – "Das Bus"
Episode – "Lisa the Simpson"
Episode – "Girly Edition"
Episode – "Lard of the Dance"
Episode – "Lisa Gets an "A""
Episode – "Brother's Little Helper"
Episode – "Grift of the Magi"
Episode – "Trilogy of Error"
Episode – "Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade"
Episode – "Pokey Mom"
Episode – "Special Edna"
Episode – "Skinner's Sense of Snow"
Episode – "Bye Bye Nerdie"
Episode – "Trilogy of Error"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XIV"
Episode – "The Heartbroke Kid"
Episode – "Girls Just Want to Have Sums"
Episode – "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer"
Episode – "Jazzy and the Pussycats"
Episode – "The Haw-Hawed Couple"
Episode – "Little Big Girl"
Episode – "Yokel Chords"
Episode – "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!"
Episode – "24 Minutes"
– The Simpsons Movie
Episode – "The Debarted"
Episode – "How the Test Was Won"
Episode – "The Good, the Sad and the Drugly"
Episode – "Bart Gets a "Z""
Episode – "Stealing First Base"
Episode – "MoneyBART"
Episode – "500 Keys"
Episode – "Holidays of Future Passed" (as condos)
Episode – "Penny-Wiseguys"
Episode – "The Day the Earth Stood Cool"
Episode – "A Test Before Trying"
Episode – "Love is a Many Splintered Thing"
Episode – "Black-eyed Please"
Episode – "Dark Knight Court"
Episode – "What Animated Women Want"
Episode – "Pulpit Friction"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXIV"
Episode – "Yolo"
Episode – "The Kid is All Right"
Episode – "Yellow Subterfuge"
Episode – "Specs and the City"
Episode – "Diggs"
Episode – "The Man Who Grew Too Much"
Episode – "The Winter of His Content"
Episode – "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee"
Episode – "Luca$"
Episode – "Days of Future Future"
Episode – "What to Expect When Bart's Expecting"
Episode – "Brick Like Me"
Episode – "Pay Pal"
Episode – "The Yellow Badge of Cowardge"
Episode – "Super Franchise Me"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXV"
Episode – "Opposites A-Frack"
Episode – "I Won't Be Home for Christmas" (Flashback)
Episode – "Bull-E"
Episode – "Mathlete's Feat"
Episode – "Cue Detective"
Episode – "Halloween of Horror"
THOH – "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" (Wanted Dead Then Alive, Homerzilla)
Episode – "Friend with Benefit"
Episode – "Paths of Glory"
Episode – "The Girl Code"
Episode – "Teenage Mutant Milk-caused Hurdles"
Episode – "Gal of Constant Sorrow"
Episode – "Lisa the Veterinarian"
Episode – "The Burns Cage"
Episode – "How Lisa Got Her Marge Back"
Episode – "Orange is the New Yellow"
Episode – "Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus"
Episode – "Havana Wild Weekend" (Mentioned in newspaper)
Episode – "The Last Traction Hero"
Episode – "Pork and Burns"
Episode – "Fatzcarraldo"
Episode – "Looking for Mr. Goodbart"
Episode – "Dogtown"
Episode – "Springfield Splendor"
Episode – "Gorillas on the Mast"
Episode – "Hail to the Teeth"
Episode – "The Miseducation of Lisa Simpson"
Episode – "Three Dreams Denied"
Episode – "The Road to Cincinnati"
Episode – "Sorry Not Sorry"
Episode – "Diary Queen"
Episode – "Wad Goals"
Episode – "Girls Just Shauna Have Fun"
Episode – "Game Done Changed"
Episode – "Homer's Crossing"
Episode – "A Mid-Childhood Night's Dream"
Episode – "McMansion & Wife"
Episode – "Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story"
Episode – "AE Bonny Romance"
Episode – "Do the Wrong Thing"
Episode – "Lisa Gets an F1"
Episode – "Clan of the Cave Mom"
Episode – "Bart's Brain"
Music video – "Do the Bartman"
Commercials – "The Bully" (schoolyard)
Special – "Homer Votes 2016"
Video game – The Simpsons Skateboarding
Video game – The Simpsons Road Rage
Video game – The Simpsons: Hit and Run
Video game – The Simpsons Game
Video game – The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Comic book – The Amazing Colossal Homer
Comic story – Springfield is Not Enough!

Trivia[]

Apparently, the school has a policy against faculty members interacting with students. This was made evident in "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life" and "Penny-Wiseguys".
Old episodes of The Simpsons reveal that Springfield Elementary had a bell tower, which the school is shown without in further seasons.
Edna Krabappel, the teacher of Bart Simpson and his classmates, has been retired due to the death of her voice actress Marcia Wallace. As of "Left Behind", her husband Ned Flanders has replaced her. Before him, two other teachers had attempted to replace Edna. One was Jack Lassen, who was fired. The other was Carol Berrera, who left to serve in Afghanistan. It is unspecified whether Edna will be recasted or replaced by a new teacher. This lasted until Rayshelle Peyton became the new fourth grade teacher.
In "Summer of 4 Ft. 2", strangely Bart is officially the best student of the school.
Bart was expelled from this school twice and unexpelled. The first was in "Whacking Day" when he accidentally injured Superintendent Chalmers leading the cost of Principal Skinner's promotion and was unexpelled for his efforts when exposing the true history of Whacking Day. The second was in "The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star" when he disrupted the Medieval Festival with a rat infestation which was actually caused by Groundskeeper Willie who should have been fired instead. When Bart was unexpelled, as an apology, Groundskeeper Willie and Principal Skinner were both suspended for blaming him.
In early episodes the school exterior alternates between being white and the more common tan/yellow color, often changing color in the same episode, no less. Later episodes correct this continuity problem by making yellow the school's official color, and putting a picture of the old, white school in Principal Skinner's office.
The school's exact stance on guns is unclear. According to Principal Skinner in The Simpsons: Hit & Run, the school had a gun-free zone that extended as far as Squidport when confiscating Bart's ray gun despite the latter's insistence that he needed it as evidence towards an evil plot, but in "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer", Otto was apparently allowed to carry a gun inside the school bus in a manner that was implied to be mandatory to his job since Skinner when suspending Otto forced him to hand in his gun.

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