About

William Burnett Elementary School is a public elementary school serving a diverse group of approximately 600 students in grades TK - 6.

Our support staff of over 50 teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, food service workers and administrative staff all work with your students to achieve high academic and social standards and to develop personal and community responsibility. 

Burnett Elementary School was named for a hardy pioneer of Milpitas. William Burnett was born in 1848 in Missouri. At eleven years old, William headed west with his family in a covered wagon across the plains and the Old Oregon Trail. Two years later William and family (Mother, Grandmother two sisters) arrived in Mountain View, saddened over the recent death of William's father. In 1867 William and his mother purchased 170 acres of Milpitas land from Marshall Pomeroy. He was known area wide as "Billy Burnett" and developed quite a reputation as a farmer, a gentleman, and a man of great integrity. The property Billy owned is to the east of this school site and up on the hills. He had a small vineyard and almond orchard there, but mainly engaged in cattle ranching. He remained a bachelor throughout his life. Billy sold their land in two parcels in 1894. The parcel with his home was still there in 1963, when William Burnett Elementary School was dedicated.