School History & Profile

Charles W. TeWinkle Intermediate School was originally 19.97 acres of farmland, until 1963, where both cabbage and lima beans were grown. When TeWinkle Intermediate School opened in September of 1964 there were 320 students, 9 buildings, a cafeteria, and 46 original classrooms. The school is named after Charles W. TeWinkle, a successful local businessman and the first Mayor of Costa Mesa when it was officially incorporated as a city in 1953.

The school recently completed a major remodel through local Measure A bond funding. TeWinkle's new gymnasium that opened in September 2008 was funded through local bond Measure F.

Today, Charles W. TeWinkle Intermediate School serves approximately 700 students in grades 7 (400 students) and 8 (300 students). Elementary feeder schools include: Adams, California, Pomona (in 2011), Rea, Victoria, and Wilson. We are very proud of our diversity where currently, 75% of the students are Hispanic, 24% are white, and 1% are of a variety of other races. English Learners make up about 30% of the school's population. All of TeWinkle's students articulate to Estancia High School.

Charles W. TeWinkle

Costa Mesa's first Mayor and long-time owner of TeWinkle's Hardware Store