Bickel Elementary Marks 120 Years

Bickel Elementary in Twin Falls is celebrating its 120th anniversary on October 27, 2026. The school remains the oldest operating institution in the city, having outlasted the administrative district that eventually governed it.

Counselor Lucy Wills noted that the original building opened in 1906. At that time, it served as the first comprehensive school for grades one through 12 in Twin Falls. Wills stated that students traveled to the building on horse-drawn carriages, with approximately 10 to 12 children riding in each vehicle. The lower grades met downstairs while upper grades used the top floor.

The school is named for Paul S. Bickel, the first mayor of Twin Falls. The city grew from a small group of settlers in 1904 to roughly 3,000 residents by 1906. This rapid population increase caused the single building to become overcrowded, prompting the construction of Lincoln School in 1908. Lincoln took over elementary education, and Bickel briefly functioned as the city's first high school until a dedicated high school opened in 1912.

A fire destroyed the original 1906 structure in 1938. Workers rebuilt the schoolhouse on the same site within a year. The reconstructed building still stands today and holds a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Teacher Kristi Henkelmann described the interior to visitors, pointing out the unique V-shaped doors that require careful navigation to prevent crushing items in the frame.

Principal Jorge Pulleiro, the 15th leader in the school's history, oversees a program that shifted in 2025 to address declining enrollment. Bickel became the first dual-immersion magnet school in the Twin Falls School District. Pulleiro said the program expanded from kindergarten through third grade last year to kindergarten through fourth grade this year. The school also includes a migrant preschool program and has accepted a small number of transfer students.

The 2025 change marked a new educational chapter for the historic building. The dual-immersion model now serves as the primary academic focus for the campus, distinct from its earlier roles as a combined elementary and secondary institution.