Osan ES History
Opened: 1979
OPEN
Osan Elementary School is located on Osan Air Base in the northern part of South Korea. The school opened in temporary quarters in November 1979. Osan Air Base was originally called K-95 and was the only US Air Force Base built in Korea during the Korean conflict by the United States.
A permanent school, designed for 350 students in grades kindergarten through six, was opened in August 1982. There were nine teachers plus one English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist for school year 1981-82, with 250 students in grades K–6. Special services are provided by school specialists from Seoul. The new facility consisted of three pods, each with three classrooms and specialists. The pods, large multipurpose room, nurse’s office, and administrative offices surround a central library/media center.
For the 1987-88 school year, kindergarten and several other classes were housed off campus in temporary base facilities. The staff included thirteen classroom teachers, one art/music teacher, two ESL teachers, a learning development teacher, librarian, physical education teacher, reading improvement specialist, speech therapist/compensatory education teacher, principal, and two local national employees.
An addition was completed in December 1983 which allowed the school to accommodate 600 students. By the 1989-90 school year, the enrollment had reached 600 students. The school now had a full complement of specialists including art, music, physical education, and host nation. Additional services were provided by learning specialists, a librarian, nurse, speech therapist, and ESL.
Another addition opened in 1992 to accommodate approximately 100 students in grades seven and eight. Seventh and eighth graders remained at the school through the 1994-95 school year and then attended the high school when it opened in 1995.
Osan Elementary School provided a variety of activities for its students. Prior to the nineties, students participated in Math Olympiads, gymnastics, a drama club, and a science club. Other clubs in the nineties included Math Counts, a literary club, art club, and yearbook staff. The school actively participated in Red Ribbon Week, Dr. Suess’s Birthday, Read Across America, and D.A.R.E.
For the 2000-01 school year, a new playground was opened and specialists at the school included art, Korean culture, physical education, talented and gifted, music, and computers. The school even had a strings class for the first time. By the mid-2000s, clubs for chess, karate, and cross stitch were added.
The military community supported the school as volunteers, guest readers, mathematics tutors as well as representatives on the School Advisory Group and parent-teacher organizations.
Osan Elementary School had its first National Elementary Honor Society for the 2011-12 school year. The robotics, multicultural, and Google Computer Science clubs were formed between 2015 to 2019.
According to the official school website, the current school is a state-of-the-art, 21st Century building that is 131,181 square feet. It was opened for the 2015-2016 school year. The school now has grades Pre-K through fifth grade. The facility has six neighborhoods with grades kindergarten through fourth grade containing six Learning Studios that surround a Learning Hub. The fifth grade has four Learning Hubs.
The administration for the 2021-22 school year was Ms. Hannah Choi, principal, and Dr. LaRhonda Ware, assistant principal. The school currently has 516 students enrolled in Sure Start through fifth grade. The school colors are black and blue, and the mascot is the Mustang.
School Administrators:
- 1987-1991 John Blum, principal
- 1991-1998 Ron Warner, principal; Ted Moore, assistant principal
- 1998-2002 Suzanne Moore O’Shea, principal; Linda Kidd, assistant principal (1999- 2003)
- 2002-2003 Jim Harrison, principal
- 2003-2008 Linda Kidd, principal
- 2008-2013 David Petree, principal
- 2013-2016 Mona Morgan, principal
- 2017-2018 Ms. Jones, principal
- 2018-2021 Dr. Wanda Bradley, principal
- 2021-2024 Hannah Choi, principal; La Rhonda Ware, assistant principal
Information from John Blom, school yearbooks, and DoDDS School Information Guides