School History
community member. Mr. Gonsalves was a city councilman, the mayor of Dairy Valley (Cerritos), and a highly respected assemblyman of the 66th District (Cerritos area). Our school takes great pride in upholding his reputation for respect and responsibility. The school annually celebrates “Gonsalves Day” in June, and Mr. and Mrs. Gonsalves graciously attended each year for 27 years until his passing in 2000. Joe’s wife and several family members have maintained this tradition by visiting our school every year on the first Friday of June.
Joe A. Gonsalves Elementary School was built on a 10-acre site in the northeast section of Cerritos, California. It was formally dedicated in May of 1973. That September, students and teachers walked from Stowers Elementary School to Gonsalves Elementary School for their first day of the academic year at their brand new school.
Gonsalves Elementary serves students in Transitional Kindergarten through 6th Grade. The school has an enrollment of over 650 students. The average class size of grades TK-3 is 26 and grades 4-6 is 32. All teachers are fully credentialed.
The school mascot is the Gonsalves Grizzly Bear and the school colors are red, white and blue. Students are encouraged to wear the school colors each Monday when they take part in Spirit Day.