History of Rose Hill Schools
Launch the media gallery 1 player - media #1History of Rose Hill Schools
Early Days
District 63 was the first to organize near the town of Rose Hill, Kansas. The first school was taught in the spring of 1873 by Mrs. Freeman at $15 per month. The school was at the home of James Lee.
Rose Hill School District 110 was also organized in 1873. It was located on the corner across from the Rose Hill Cemetery. The land was purchased from Lewis and Mary Julian for $40 per acre.
District 8 was organized and was the first in the township to erect an actual school building, one mile east of Rose Hill Road on 63rd Street South, through the aid of bonds.
Five miles west of Rose Hill was a school house known as Spring Creek School which is also where the United Methodist Church first held its services as well.
Construction of the railroad resulted in the town and the post office moving one mile west. Part of the District wanted to move and the other part didn’t. The controversy was settled by dividing the district in the center.
The Pleasant Center School, District 164 was established July 5, 1892. It was located in Pleasant Township. It consolidated with Rose Hill District 110 on February 26, 1946 and moved to Rose Hill.
Rose Hill District 110 bought land on the Southwest corner of Rose Hill Road and Silknitter Street. School was held in a stone store building until the new building was completed.
The east part of the district remained in the old building and the name was changed to Excelior District 169.
Last 100 Years
In 1908, the four school districts in Butler County and some in Sedgwick County voted to consolidate into one school and have a High School. School was held in the Odd Fellows Hall until the new building was completed. The $10,000 building was erected and the first term began in September with more than 200 students. The first graduating class of two people was in 1909. What older Rose Hill townspeople refer to as 'the old Elementary Gym and classrooms' were built in 1949, at the site of the old High School. East Elementary School was constructed in 1950. While historical records show the first families made their homestead in Rose Hill in 1887, Rose Hill became an incorporated city on February 10, 1955. In 1955 and 1956, West Elementary was built. The Elementary buildings were torn down during 2007.
Modern Times
On July 1, 1965, Rose Hill Schools became Unified School District 394. In 1976, West Elementary was expanded. In 1984, the Stoll Media Center (which is more commonly known as the ‘Parents as Teachers’ building) was added to the south end of East Elementary School. The present Middle School, formally known at the High School, was constructed in 1968. A new High School, located at the corner of 190th Street South and Rose Hill Road opened in October of 1995. The old Middle School building, which also served as the Intermediate School from October 1995 to August 2006, was built in 1980. The Multi-Purpose Building, which currently serves as the Middle School Cafeteria, was constructed in 1990. On May 4, 2004, the patrons voted to approve a $25.5 million dollar school improvement bond. The bond project included the construction of the new Elementary School, a new High School Gymnasium/PE activities area with an indoor track, and renovation of the Middle School and District Sports Complex. At the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, Early Childhood Special Education through 5th grade moved into a brand-new facility on the east side of campus. Students in grades 6th-8th began classes in the new addition and remodeled Middle School for the 2008-09 school year.
In 2017, Rose Hill Schools embarked on a $10 million bond project. Maintaining the same tax rate was an important component for the issue so in order to accomplish this, board members worked with architects to determine costs of projects to be included in the proposal. Projects included in the bond issue: new Academy wing for HS students attending BCC, enhanced security system, and a new Preschool and Early Childhood addition to accommodate a growing need within the community. The proposal passed and work was completed without raising the mil levy and tax rates with thanks to parent and patron support.
Currently, Rose Hill School District has the third lowest School Mil Levy in Butler County.
You can see pics from previous projects HERE.
Today, USD 394 Rose Hill Schools serves its students through four attendance centers located on one campus. The District Office is not on the main campus but is located about a mile North of the schools in the center of the city of Rose Hill. The instructional nature of these buildings is Primary School (serving 3-year-old preschool through 2nd grade in addition to a Parents as Teachers program that works with children birth to school age). Intermediate School (serving 3rd through 5th grade). Middle School (serving 6th through 8th grade). And High School (serving 9th through 12th grade). Additionally, Butler Community College has an education wing attached to the High School to allow for concurrent and Academy students pursuing college education in addition to their high school diploma. The Early College Academy concept introduces the college learning experience to high school juniors and seniors allowing them to graduate with their Associate's Degree and high school diploma at the same time via a pathway program.
The 2023-24 school year will begin the 19th year of a laptop initiative at the High School and the fourth year of a laptop initiative at the Middle School. Primary and Intermediate students are granted iPads to keep at the school.
Class sizes are below 20 in grades K-2nd and below 25 in grades 4th-8th. The core classroom size at the High School is below thirty.
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District Awards
KSDE 2021 and 2022 Copper Award: Academically prepared for Post-Secondary
KSDE 2022 Bronze Award: Social-Emotional Growth
In 2022, KASB identified USD 394 as a Highlight School during their KASB conference. Members were given the opportunity to tour the campus employee daycare program, preschool program, and Academy program offered at the district.
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