Millard West High School history

In September of 1856, Doctor Harvey Link of New Albany, Indiana purchased 320 acres for $300 near present-day 144th and F Streets.

Others were attracted after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act of 1862, allowing people to claim 160 acres of undeveloped federal land by building a home and cultivating the ground.

Even before there was a town of Millard, records show the first school was established in 1868 with George Potwin as teacher and six pupils.

In 1870, Ezra platted Millard, a mostly uninhabited prairie 12 miles southwest of the city.

In 1871, George Stevens sold the town to E.A. Perley, who sold it the same year to Ezra Millard.

Millard began bringing in businesses in 1872.

They met in various buildings on Doctor Harvey Link's farm near present-day 144th and F Streets). In 1876, a one-room school was built and furnished for $2,700.

According to the “History Of Nebraska” published in 1882, the first settlers in Millard were the Stevens family.

Most buildings at the time were constructed with wood, and in 1883 William von Dohren founded the lumber company that would become Millard Lumber Inc.

26, 1885, and Millard, Nebraska was officially incorporated.

A new brick school was built on the same site and opened in 1932.

In 1938, Millard graduated its first senior class.

Summer school programs started in 1956.

In 1957-59, Millard Superintendent Don Stroh led a successful effort to consolidate with these seven rural districts to form the present size of 35 square miles in Douglas and Sarpy counties.

On Tuesday, October 28, 1958, voters passed the first bond issue which allocated $750,000 to build the new secondary building.

In 1959, the school district was no longer considered rural, and a reclassification allowed the board of education to set its budget and elect its own officers.

The new building was named Central and served as Millard's only school until 1960, when the present Central Middle School was opened.

Rapid population growth soon followed when the interstate highway connected Millard with the heart of Omaha in 1962.

Omaha sought to annex Millard in 1967.

In 1969, the first request was made for a computer.

The opening of the new high school in 1970 allowed the district to split secondary students as seventh through ninth graders in the junior high and tenth through twelfth graders in the high school.

He held the post until Omaha annexed Millard in 1971.

In 1974, gifted education was introduced.

In 1979, a Montessori elementary program was established to provide an alternative curriculum choice.

In 1981, the opening of a second high school allowed the district to bring together 9-12 grades at Millard North and Millard South High Schools.

In 1984, the Millard Education Foundation started the first before and after school child care program in an elementary school.

Starting in 1987, the junior highs (7-8 grade) began converting to middle schools which serve 6-8 grades, providing more space for crowded elementary schools.

In 1988, Ezra Millard Elementary School was built and named in his honor.

In 1989, a new administration center opened, named for long-time superintendent, Don Stroh.

Millard West High School opened its doors in 1995 under the leadership of then Principal Rick Kolowski to serve the rapidly growing southwestern suburb district of Omaha, Nebraska.

In 1997, Millard voters passed an $89 million bond issue to provide technology for all schools, remodeling or additions to existing schools, and construction of two new elementary schools and a middle school.

In 2001, Millard North High School became the first in Nebraska to offer an International Baccalaureate program.

On February 15, 2005, voters approved Millard's 13th bond issue.

Ronald Reagan Elementary opened in 2007.

Wilma Upchurch Elementary opened in 2008.

The old brick building still remains on Millard Avenue, but was sold in 2010 and no longer serves as a public school.

In May 2013, the community once again showed it's strong support for Millard Public Schools with approval of a 79.9 million dollar bond focusing on safety and security.