The first Oatville School was a two-room school located at the northwest corner of MacArthur Road and West Street in southwest Wichita near the small community of Oatville. In 1956, the present Oatville Elementary was opened on South Hoover and the principal lived on the campus in a small white house
located directly north of the building.

Oatville then had classes for kindergarten through eighth grade. School buses have since provided transportation for children to the rural elementary school. In 1967, Oatville was unified with the Haysville School District and the seventh and eighth graders were transferred to Haysville Junior High.

Class size increased steadily to a current range of between 18 and 24 students per classroom. During the spring and summer of 1991, four new classrooms and several smaller rooms were added to the existing building. Mobile units have been added to the west end of the parking lot for additional classrooms. Due to continued rising enrollment, the facilities at Oatville were again improved in 1999 through a bond issue project.  This included 5 new classrooms, a large addition to the library and a new kitchen. Additional remodeling of the building also occurred to make the facilities even better.

The curriculum at Oatville includes the basic core subject areas, as well as music, physical education, library and computer lab. The library is fortunate to have 6 computers for the Accelerated Reader Program due to the Golden Apple Grant and the support of the district. In addition, fifth grade band and orchestra are also offered but must also share space with other programs. Oatville also has several special education programs. The interrelated/Learning Disabilities, Life Skills, and Gifted programs provide services to Oatville students through an inclusion model as well as a pull-out model.


Oatville students are continually being challenged and are expected to meet the high standards established by the district and the Oatville staff. Such standards include student accountability for their own learning, stressing the importance of homework and the use of assignment notebooks, implementing a Wednesday folder to assure weekly parental contact, establishing high standards for basic skills in both reading and math, promoting and encouraging leisure reading , involving students in the learning process through cooperative learning and peer tutoring, participation in state and national sponsored contests (geography, math and spelling), establishing outcomes for student learning styles. 

Due to these high expectations, Oatville students consistently score above the state average on the Kansas Assessment Tests and awards are distributed to students throughout the year and culminate with a special year end assembly specifically honoring those with high academic achievement levels, good school attendance and significant improvement in the basic subjects. Fifth grade students who meet the criteria for Presidential Academic Fitness and extra Effort are acknowledged and presented these special awards.

Oatville has been fortunate to have cafeteria service located within the school, preparing a hearty breakfast and nutritious lunch for students each day. Oatville School continues to have an active parent organization which coordinates and sponsors various events throughout the school year for both parents and students. Oatville School is known for the fine community support in educating our future leaders. The school is fortunate to have an active PTA which helps plan and implement many student activities. Area businesses support the school by serving on various committees and by providing financial support for special events and projects. Such projects have included purchasing the Channel 3 Weather Lab Station for Oatville. The outdoor lighted school sign was installed by the USD Project 261 and displays current events and announcements for the community. The Oatville PTA recently donated a new stone sign placed at the entrance of the school.

The staff and students are also proud of being named the 1996 Golden Apple Elementary School and proudly display the award banner outside the entrance of the building. Also displayed throughout the building.