Our History & Story

Coconut Grove Elementary School is historically and architecturally significant and has been an integral part of the social and cultural life of the community. The school building was designed by H. H. Munday, a notable local architect, and it has been in continuous use longer than any other school building in Miami-Dade County, according to all available sources, with origins going back prior to the incorporation of Miami.

Coconut Grove, Florida was Miami’s first community and was settled on land that was homestead by Edmund Beasley in 1868. Coconut Grove Elementary School was founded in 1887 and was the first public school in present day Miami-Dade County. On September 29, 1911, the cornerstone of the first section of the present building was laid. Frank B. Stoneman, editor of the Miami Herald and father of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, delivered the dedication address. Classes in the new building began during the first week of October in 1911.

Today Coconut Grove Elementary is an “A” rated school of academic excellence within the heart of Coconut Grove, Florida. We provide all students with a high-quality education that will prepare them to become successful, contributing members of our ever-changing and increasingly competitive society, while fostering a safe and nurturing environment for all members of our school community. In addition to standards-based curriculum, we offer an International Studies Program in French for students in kindergarten through fifth grade as well as a World Language Program in Spanish for students in grades two through five.