Letter From The Superintendent of Schools
Welcome to the USD 504 website
By LaTurner, Mark
August 13, 2012
Oswego schools have a rich history starting soon after the civil war ended. Through public donations and volunteer labor the first tax-supported school was built where the courthouse currently sits. Since that time, various locations and several buildings have served the community. The first bond was passed in 1869 in the amount of $5000 to build a stone structure on what was known as “Eastside.” Bonds were passed in 1882 and 1886 to accommodate the growing population. Education was clearly important to the early leaders of Oswego.
That sentiment has not changed. Several new buildings have been built since the early days in Oswego, including a new high school that opened in September of 1921 and currently serves as the middle school. Neosho Heights Elementary School was opened in 1969 and the current high school, located in the northwest part of town was opened in 1994, serves as a state of the art facility with a new baseball and softball complex that is second to none. In the northern part of our district, Service Valley Charter Academy serves grades K-8 and has an agriculture and animal science curriculum.
Oswego is a city of nearly 2,000 residents with a great deal of community pride. The Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Lion’s Club, as well as other civic and athletic organizations are all active and committed to service in the community. The city has taken steps to meet the needs of the housing market by offering property for new homes. They are currently working with contractors to open a new housing development on the west side of town. Recently, the state has announced the reopening of a corrections facility that will house approximately 230 elderly, minimum custody, inmates. The facility will employ 55 local residents and provide a boost to the local economy.
The schools are an active partner with local and state government entities. Our goal is simple; to provide a quality education to each student. With that simple goal in mind and a lot of hard work by dedicated professionals, USD 504 is one of the most accomplished schools in the state with numerous state and national awards. All schools are multiple “Standard of Excellence” award winners based on outstanding test scores in math and reading. Oswego High School was awarded the Governor’s Achievement Award in 2009 and 2010, which recognizes the top 5% of Kansas’ high schools in both reading and math. U.S. News and World Report recognized OHS with a bronze medal for being one of “America’s Best High Schools” in 2010 and as an honorable mention in 2012. In 2011, the United States Department of Education recognized Oswego High School as National Blue Ribbon School, one of only 23 public high schools in the nation to receive this award.
As you can see, Oswego is a great place to live and raise children. USD 504 is proud to be a part of such a progressive community that puts education first. If you have any questions or would like to visit our schools, please contact me at 620-795-2126.
Sincerely,
Mark LaTurner, Superintendent of Schools
