About

Adams Central Public Schools History

District 90, originally District 9A, was formed when 70 percent of the patrons of six districts voted to create a new district on July 29, 1966. They were Districts 1, 15, 29, 33, 60, and 75. District 53, located in Ayr, joined the new district at a later date. The newly formed Class VI district would educate students in grades 7-12. It was named Adams Central Junior-Senior High School shortly after the new district was formed.

Adams Central officially became a school district on July 1, 1967, even though facilities were not yet available to educate all the students in the district.

During the 1967-68 school year, students in grades 9-12 who resided in the Juniata area attended school in facilities leased from the Juniata district, and contracts were made with local high schools to educate the other students in those grades. Juniata and rural Class I schools in the district provided education for seventh- and eighth-graders.

School began at the current junior-senior high school site during the 1968-69 school year. Adams Central sits on 40 acres, three miles west of Hastings. Enrollment was 260 on the first day of school, Sept. 3, 1968.

2006-07 Adams Central Public Schools becomes a Class III district

After nearly 40 years as a Class VI district, serving students in grades 7-12, Adams Central formally joined with its affiliated Class I elementary-only districts to form one Class III district, serving K-12 students under the direction of a single school board.

As of the 2006-07 school year, Adams Central Public School District served students from kindergarten through 12th grade with an enrollment of about 900 students. There were five elementary schools (Ayr, Juniata, Tri-View, Wallace, and Elementary #15) and one junior/senior high school. The elementary enrollment was approximately 400 students. The enrollment at the junior/senior high school was about 500 students. The district employed around 110 staff members.

The uniqueness of the roughly 300-square-mile Class III school district lies in the various economic interests of the district.

Ayr Elementary School was located in a typical rural farming community. There were 33 students from grades K-6 in 2006-07. Three classroom teachers, special education staff, support staff, and an administrator served these students. The average teaching experience of the teaching staff was 14.5 years.

Juniata Elementary School is located in the town of Juniata, population 800. Twelve teachers served Juniata Elementary School in 2006-07, contributing a complete curriculum and special education services to the 119 students in grades K-6. Technology was a high priority, and the school had adopted the Nebraska Essential Learnings in technology.

Tri-View Elementary School was a bi-level school located in a typical rural farming area of 31.9 square miles. There were 19 students in grades K-6 in 2006-07. Three full-time classroom teachers, special education staff, support staff, and an administrator served these students. The average teaching experience of the staff was 25 years.

Wallace Elementary School is a rural elementary located south of Hastings. Thirteen teachers served Wallace Elementary School in 2006-07, contributing a complete curriculum and special education services to the 130 students.

Adams Central #15 Elementary is a rural elementary located on the east side of Hastings. The 69 students were in self-contained grade-level classrooms, with two classrooms being combined grades 3-4 and 5-6 in 2006-07. These students were served by five classroom teachers, one music/computer teacher, special education staff, and two paraprofessionals.

2011-12 Adams Central Public Schools

The Ayr and Tri-View elementary schools were closed by board action at the end of the 2011-12 school year. The elementary attendance boundaries were redrawn and students sent to according schools. At the beginning of the 2012-13 school year, each of the remaining three elementary sites had approximately 120 students.

Voters approve elementary school bond

Adams Central Public Schools voters in May 2016 approved a $19.7 million bond issue for a new elementary school to replace the district’s three smaller elementary schools. The new school, to be completed across the road from the junior/senior high school by August 2018, will house all of the district’s K-6 students.

The Adams Central school board in April 2018 approved the sale the Wallace Elementary and Adams Central East buildings. The district retained the Juniata Elementary building to house a new district preschool and alternative education programs.