In the Beginning
We are told to remember where we came from. It is for that reason that so many research their ancestors and link back to their past. The school district is not unlike a family. Our rich history teaches us where we come from and how we became to be.
Our history began in 1948 when the State Legislature authorized a six-man board to reorganize school districts in Jackson County. On March 22, 1949, a tentative plan for consolidating the 83 school districts of Jackson County into 15 large districts was submitted in Independence to a meeting of county school boards members, clerks, superintendents and teachers. The plan included the districts of Independence, Raytown, Hickman Mills, Grandview, Center, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Sugar Creek, Buckner, Oak Grove, Grain Valley, Pleasant Valley, Boone and Districts A and B. Most notable in the area was the proposed Buckner district, comprised primarily of those school districts east of the Little Blue. Providing much of the leadership and direction for redistricting was Mr. H. M. Clements, County Superintendent of Schools.
The voters in Jackson County approved a county‐wide reorganization plan on August 9,1949, whereby the 83 districts were divided into 15 units. The Fort Osage School District we know today was created from 16 rural districts, the Buckner High School District, and the Levasy High School District. There were a total of 572 children were brought together, 246 from the 16 rural schools, 238 from Buckner, and 88 from Levasy. The rural school districts were: Sibley, Lawnwood, Blue Valley, Atherton, Academy, Prairie Dale, Reber, Combs, Peacedale, Woodland, Lake City, Sunny Nook, Bone Hill, Murphy, Oakland and Owen. Many of the one‐room schools in the district are still standing. Perhaps the most noticeable is the Woodland school building which has served as the district’s administrative center since July 22, 1958.
On August 30, 1949, a special school election was held at Levasy, Buckner and Atherton to elect six directors for Reorganized District No. 1 of Jackson County. The district was divided into six parts with a school director elected from each. This was considered the best method to insure all the old districts a voice in the policies of the new one. The original six groups for director representation were: (1) Levasy, Reber, Bone Hill; (2) Buckner, Prairie Dale; (3) Sibley, Lawnwood, Academy; (4) Atherton, Blue Valley, Peacedale; (5) Oakland, Sunny Nook, Owen, Murphy; and (6) Lake City, Woodland, and Combs. The first recorded meeting of the R‐1 Board of Directors was held in the First State Bank of Buckner on September 2, 1949. From there the district kept growing and changing. On March 1, 1951, the Etna School District was annexed, and on March 19, 1951, the Elm Grove and Union School Districts were annexed. On May 7,1952, a special bond election was held and approval given for a building program which included the present high school and Blue Hills Elementary School.
Before reorganization, it is known that the first school held in Buckner was on the Harrelson place about ¼ mile east of the north side of old 24 Highway. In 1896, Mr. T. G. Hall gave 40 acres for a new school, of which 30 acres were sold and 10 acres kept for a new building. The first building was built in 1901 and which served as a two‐year high school and in 1908 the first graduating class of three years duration was announced. It was not until 1923 the school was moved into Hall Memorial where high school was held until the class of 1954.
In 1953, 33 teachers petitioned the Board to adopt a single salary schedule. In 1956, the Board of Education adopted the first teacher salary schedule which ranged from $2,600 for a new teacher in the district with less than 120 college hours to $3,900 for a master’s degree plus 20 hours toward an advanced degree and five years in the district.
There were more changes to come for Reorganized District No. 1 of Jackson County. It was on November 4, 1952, that Blue Hills Elementary School was officially named in the Board minutes. Up to that time it had been referred to as Salem Elementary and West‐end Elementary. Then on Sunday, September 13, 1953, Blue Hills Elementary School was dedicated. Two hundred and sixty students who formerly attended Union, Etna, Elm Grove,Peacedale, Atherton and Woodland (those students living west of Highway 7) were enrolled.
On January 5, 1954, the new high school was officially named “Fort Osage High School,” and on April 6, 1954, the high school building was accepted in official Board action. On Wednesday, May 19, 1954, 37 seniors were graduated from Buckner High School in the first commencement exercises held in the new high school building. The first class to attend and graduate in the new high school building was the Class of 1955. The disagreement continues today as to who the first graduating class was from Fort Osage High School. The new high school consisted of a one‐story building containing 13 classrooms: a combination auditorium‐ gymnasium, one large room which was used as a lunchroom/study hall/classroom, a library, small offices, a kitchen, a boiler room, and a storage area all on 25 acres.
The Fort Osage School District did not get its name until May 13, 1958, when the Board minutes officially named the district as “Fort Osage School District – Jackson County R‐1.” The district kept growing. In 1961 the first addition of Elm Grove Elementary School was opened. Then in 1966 Cler‐Mont Elementary School opened its doors. Two years later in 1968, the district opened the first Area Vocational‐Technical School in this part of the state. The district became well known, so much so in fact that in 1972, the Courtney Elementary School District voted to be annexed by the Fort Osage School District. A separate junior high school building was built in order to accommodate the 7th grade students for the 1972‐1973 school year. In the fall of 1980, the district welcomed its newest addition, the Fort Osage Middle School, serving the students in the 6th grade from throughout the district. While many other additions and changes took place, it was not until August 2008, when Indian Trails Elementary School opened it doors, that the district built a new building from the ground up.
We never know what the future will hold, but one thing is for sure, Fort Osage remains a strong district rooted deep in history and tradition.
We are told to remember where we came from. It is for that reason that so many research their ancestors and link back to their past. The school district is not unlike a family. Our rich history teaches us where we come from and how we became to be.
Our history began in 1948 when the State Legislature authorized a six-man board to reorganize school districts in Jackson County. On March 22, 1949, a tentative plan for consolidating the 83 school districts of Jackson County into 15 large districts was submitted in Independence to a meeting of county school boards members, clerks, superintendents and teachers. The plan included the districts of Independence, Raytown, Hickman Mills, Grandview, Center, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Sugar Creek, Buckner, Oak Grove, Grain Valley, Pleasant Valley, Boone and Districts A and B. Most notable in the area was the proposed Buckner district, comprised primarily of those school districts east of the Little Blue. Providing much of the leadership and direction for redistricting was Mr. H. M. Clements, County Superintendent of Schools.
The voters in Jackson County approved a county‐wide reorganization plan on August 9,1949, whereby the 83 districts were divided into 15 units. The Fort Osage School District we know today was created from 16 rural districts, the Buckner High School District, and the Levasy High School District. There were a total of 572 children were brought together, 246 from the 16 rural schools, 238 from Buckner, and 88 from Levasy. The rural school districts were: Sibley, Lawnwood, Blue Valley, Atherton, Academy, Prairie Dale, Reber, Combs, Peacedale, Woodland, Lake City, Sunny Nook, Bone Hill, Murphy, Oakland and Owen. Many of the one‐room schools in the district are still standing. Perhaps the most noticeable is the Woodland school building which has served as the district’s administrative center since July 22, 1958.
On August 30, 1949, a special school election was held at Levasy, Buckner and Atherton to elect six directors for Reorganized District No. 1 of Jackson County. The district was divided into six parts with a school director elected from each. This was considered the best method to insure all the old districts a voice in the policies of the new one. The original six groups for director representation were: (1) Levasy, Reber, Bone Hill; (2) Buckner, Prairie Dale; (3) Sibley, Lawnwood, Academy; (4) Atherton, Blue Valley, Peacedale; (5) Oakland, Sunny Nook, Owen, Murphy; and (6) Lake City, Woodland, and Combs. The first recorded meeting of the R‐1 Board of Directors was held in the First State Bank of Buckner on September 2, 1949. From there the district kept growing and changing. On March 1, 1951, the Etna School District was annexed, and on March 19, 1951, the Elm Grove and Union School Districts were annexed. On May 7,1952, a special bond election was held and approval given for a building program which included the present high school and Blue Hills Elementary School.
Before reorganization, it is known that the first school held in Buckner was on the Harrelson place about ¼ mile east of the north side of old 24 Highway. In 1896, Mr. T. G. Hall gave 40 acres for a new school, of which 30 acres were sold and 10 acres kept for a new building. The first building was built in 1901 and which served as a two‐year high school and in 1908 the first graduating class of three years duration was announced. It was not until 1923 the school was moved into Hall Memorial where high school was held until the class of 1954.
In 1953, 33 teachers petitioned the Board to adopt a single salary schedule. In 1956, the Board of Education adopted the first teacher salary schedule which ranged from $2,600 for a new teacher in the district with less than 120 college hours to $3,900 for a master’s degree plus 20 hours toward an advanced degree and five years in the district.
There were more changes to come for Reorganized District No. 1 of Jackson County. It was on November 4, 1952, that Blue Hills Elementary School was officially named in the Board minutes. Up to that time it had been referred to as Salem Elementary and West‐end Elementary. Then on Sunday, September 13, 1953, Blue Hills Elementary School was dedicated. Two hundred and sixty students who formerly attended Union, Etna, Elm Grove,Peacedale, Atherton and Woodland (those students living west of Highway 7) were enrolled.
On January 5, 1954, the new high school was officially named “Fort Osage High School,” and on April 6, 1954, the high school building was accepted in official Board action. On Wednesday, May 19, 1954, 37 seniors were graduated from Buckner High School in the first commencement exercises held in the new high school building. The first class to attend and graduate in the new high school building was the Class of 1955. The disagreement continues today as to who the first graduating class was from Fort Osage High School. The new high school consisted of a one‐story building containing 13 classrooms: a combination auditorium‐ gymnasium, one large room which was used as a lunchroom/study hall/classroom, a library, small offices, a kitchen, a boiler room, and a storage area all on 25 acres.
The Fort Osage School District did not get its name until May 13, 1958, when the Board minutes officially named the district as “Fort Osage School District – Jackson County R‐1.” The district kept growing. In 1961 the first addition of Elm Grove Elementary School was opened. Then in 1966 Cler‐Mont Elementary School opened its doors. Two years later in 1968, the district opened the first Area Vocational‐Technical School in this part of the state. The district became well known, so much so in fact that in 1972, the Courtney Elementary School District voted to be annexed by the Fort Osage School District. A separate junior high school building was built in order to accommodate the 7th grade students for the 1972‐1973 school year. In the fall of 1980, the district welcomed its newest addition, the Fort Osage Middle School, serving the students in the 6th grade from throughout the district. While many other additions and changes took place, it was not until August 2008, when Indian Trails Elementary School opened it doors, that the district built a new building from the ground up.
We never know what the future will hold, but one thing is for sure, Fort Osage remains a strong district rooted deep in history and tradition.