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History of Olentangy Schools

Black and White image of the original Orange School.
Black and White imae of the original Olentangy High School, now Shanahan Middle School.
Black and White image of the original Powell School.
Black and White image of the original Hyatts School.
Black and White image of Berlin School
Black and White image of the original Olentangy High School

In the early 1900’s one room schoolhouses scattered among the landscape made up the local education system. Beginning in 1911, those schools consolidated into four K-12 facilities.

Powell school was the first to open in 1911 followed by Hyatts in 1914, Berlin in 1915 and Orange in 1916. These were the only schools in the area until 1952 when construction began on one consolidated school located on Shanahan Road.

The new school, Olentangy High School, allowed students in grades 1-8 to remain at their original school then come together for grades 9-12.

In 1961 Liberty Union Elementary School was built as a junior high school for kindergarten, seventh and eighth grade students. The new school was built as a neighbor to the Olentangy High School on Shanahan Road and was open to students in 1963.

In 1969 some major changes began when the Orange school closed and the Shanahan Road complex housed students in grades K-12 for the first time. In 1973, Berlin, Hyatts and Powell schools also closed bringing all of the students in the area to one general location on Shanahan Road. The connection between the Liberty Union Elementary School and Olentangy High School was completed allowing room for all students in one general campus.

The district continued operating this way until 1990 when Olentangy High School opened on Lewis Center Road for students in grades 9-12. Since 1990 the district has experienced a tremendous increase in student enrollment and has grown to a total of 28 schools- 17 elementary schools, six middle schools, four high schools and a specialized learning academy.

Information for this synopsis was obtained through: History of Orange Township in Delaware County, Ohio by Luella Martin Yarnell and dedication plaques located throughout the facility on Shanahan Road.